Tomorrow Never Comes
by Chibiyu
Summary: It's always consolation that tomorrow will come and everything will be alright. But I sit here, barely alive, to tell anyone who may be reading this journal, that tomorrow never comes. JONAS COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**Chibiyu: **_I have got to stop having so much unrelated inspiration. Curse you brain! _

_DON'T OWN JONAS, NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL. _

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_**Tomorrow Never Comes**_

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_**Summary: **__It's always consolation, that tomorrow will come and everything will be alright. But I sit here, barely alive, to tell anyone who may be reading this journal, that tomorrow __never __comes. _

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_**Journal Entry 1**_

_I have no idea how this all began, how everything in my life seemed to circle back around so I relived the worst days of my life. I have no idea when the misery and torment of 'normal' life became so hard. If, anyone reads this, I will explain why normal is in quotes as it was. My life is far from normal my dear reader. Sure at first glance, if you could look about two years back in the past, you would see a happy and smiling family of six and two girls waving at you, exactly like the picture embedded in the inside cover of this journal. But if you looked again, you would see screaming girls in the window behind them, holding posters proclaiming their love for the boys. _

_I am one of those boys. My brothers and I were in a famous and platinum selling band called JONAS. But we were humble, we were living the dream. We were happy. _

_So now you may be wondering why I started this journal. Well the answer is simple; writing is the only thing that keeps me sane. And if you wonder why I need to be kept sane, look again out the window of the scene of the family and friends. Do you see it? Past the beautiful brunette and cute red head, right in front of the screaming blonde? Do you see him now?_

_Do you see his gun?_

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**Chibiyu: **_Yeah another story. I know I know. I still haven't figured out who the brother is yet…or motives…or plot…yeah…This is how all of my stories start our anyway. Except Dream State. Yeah. Until Next Update!_

_Who do you think the brother is? (I just figured it out)_

_Hey can you all who have read my story "Last Goodbye" please vote in my poll? My appreciated!_


	2. Hope Never Dies

**Chibiyu: **_Can't tell you who it is yet! _

**Nick: **_I don't even know. _

_Seven reviews? Thank you so so so so so so much!!! :~)_

_I DON'T OWN JONAS BUT IT DO THE PLOT AND STORY!_

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**_Journal Entry 2-May 19th, 2012_**

_If anyone reads this I guess I have to explain a few things before I go into the actual present torture I face. _

_Like I said in my last entry it was two years ago. Two years since I've last seen the two girls, Stella, the blond, and Macy, the brunette. Two years since I've seen my parents. Two years since I've heard someone laugh or seen a smile on a nice face. Two years since I've seen the light of day or the dark of night. I never thought I would miss all of those things as much as I do now. _

_The day it happened was forever burned into my memory. May 19th, 2010. I was told, in gloating, that today was the two year anniversary, May 19th, 2012. But it felt like an eternity ago since that trigger was pulled. _

_Here how it all began. _

**_We were all posing for a family picture and of course Stella and Macy were there, family by bonds not by blood, but it didn't matter. We were all laughing and smiling by a forgotten joke from a forgotten mouth. The camera flashed and a second later, an ear splitting bang shattered through the chuckles. _**

**_The window exploded behind us, and my brothers cried out as glass hit them. One of them forced me to the ground just as mom fell, a bullet hole on her neck, blood pooling on the floor. Her blood. She…she was dead. Another bang, mere seconds after the first, and another death. _**

**_Dad fell to the floor, crumpling unnaturally and I screamed as my brother held me tightly, forcing my eyes away from out dad's still form. The front door slammed open and we all jumped, my brother's hold became tighter as he tried to hide me, but we both knew it was no use. _**

**"Kill the girls." _Her _voice sounded, sneaky as a snake and just as venomous. My other two brothers leapt over to them and shielded them, growls on their faces. "Oh, such gentlemen." _She _laughed chillingly. "Night-night boys."**

**And then my world faded to black as smoke…no as, crept across the floor, _her _laughter filling my ears. **

_I have to leave you now journal. Someone is coming. _

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_SAME POV, BUT NOT WRITING. _

_I shrank into the corner of my dog crate and I almost cried as they shoved one of my older brothers into the cage facing mine. I cringed when his eyes met mine, the lack of hope, the deadness, the nothing. But it wasn't even half as bad as my other brother trapped in this place. _

"It's a shame…" _She whispered bending over, her auburn hair falling neatly around her strong shoulders as she looked into my brother's cage next to mine. _"You used to have too much spirit but we fixed that. Didn't we?"

**_FLASHBACK_**

_**I woke up in a cold and dark and small cage that smelled of dogs. I was so afraid. My hands trembled and my heart pounded a rapid beat. I was alone…where were my brothers?**_

**_I crawled to the wired door of the covered dog crate, the only part I could see out of and I sighed in relief. One brother was starring back at me, his eyes wide and they instantly softened when he saw me. He almost smiled. _**

**"You ok?" _He whispered and I nodded. _**

**"NO TALKING!!!" _A hugely muscled guy screamed, shaking my brother's cage roughly. He pulled a knife from his pocket and held it to my older brother's cage door, it glinting threateningly in the dim lights. My brother retreated into the shadows of his cage until I could barely see him. _**

**"You bastard." _He growled and the bald, muscled guy laughed, kicking the cage hard and moving to open the door, the knife raised. _**

**"Close your eyes bro. It will be ok…we will get out of here." _My other brother whispered from the cage next to me. But unfortunately, he was heard. _**

**_The big guy slammed my brother's cage door shut and advanced to the one next to me. _"I think you all need to be taught a lesson." _He sneered, the temperature dropping about 20 degrees from the chill in his voice. He threw open the door and dragged my brother out by the neck, forcing him to walk. _"Let this be a lesson to you all." _And he pushed my brother through a door at the end of the hall. Stirs were heard in the various sized and colored cages around us, but not a whisper was heard. _**

**_The heavy metal door shut with a snick and for a minute, silence was all there was. And then we heard our brother scream. I looked to my older brother across from me and he tried to hide his fear, but he failed. My other brother screamed again, more desperate and in pain this time and I heard a growl come from the cages around us. Someone whispered 'Those bastards.' And another whispered 'Way to pick on the newbie.' _**

**_So we weren't alone in this. Not yet anyway. _**

**_I didn't have a clock so I was forced to count the seconds. 480 seconds, 8 minutes, it went on, my brother screaming and cold laughter joined in. And then the door opened again. The man smiled at me with horrid crooked teeth. He stopped in front of out elevated cages and turned my brother to me, laughing the whole time. _**

**_I felt the tears coursing down my cheeks as I looked into his brave eyes, but I still saw the fear and pain. And then I looked to his arms. They were covered in huge gashes, blood dripping from his skilled fingers and spilling on the floor. But my brother ignored them, not ready to give them the satisfaction. He smiled at me but it was forced. He was pushed back into his cage and mine was turned so I could clearly see the pain my brother was in, try as he may to hide it. _**

**"You…you…" _My older brother across from my tried to find the right word to describe this evil act, but he found none. _**

**"That was your warning. Death is the next price."**

**END**

_My brother, even after 2 years, was still shirtless, having destroyed it to make bandages for his arms. He would forever carry those scars…and we still don't know what they did to him. He never once told us about the torture they put him through. But I knew why. He didn't want to scare me and he had to be strong for all of us. But now it seemed to be killing him, holding it all in and trying to be strong. _

"Oh…is that a light I see on your eyes?" _She sneered, peering into my brother's cage next mine. _"Hope?!?" _She yelled, dragging him from his cage and shaking him. _"Maybe I should punish him for that!" _She pointed to me and he stiffened. _

"Please…not my brother." _He begged in a cracking voice, having not used it in a week. _

"Brother?" _She screamed, shaking him again. She snapped her fingers and he was dragged off by the same guy that first tortured him. And like the first time, we heard him scream. _

"NO! No family…Alone! No brother…ALONE!!!"

_I cried out at his heart broken screams of total pain. I heard the snap of a whip and him crying out, but this time, nothing stirred in the occupied cages. They were all happy it wasn't them. And then I grabbed my journal, needed to write because the more I spoke, the more pain I put them through. _

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**_Journal Entry Three-May 19th, 2012_**

_Two years was a long time. Would we still remember how to smiled and laugh? Would we still remember ourselves when we got out of here?_

_Would we ever get out of here?_

_Would we die in these cages?_

_I have so many questions and no hope of any of them getting answered. Yes, one of brothers managed to save himself, but I had no idea if he lived or not. But I did know that he would have been here to save us before now. But I couldn't accept that that fact alone told us he might be dead. Or he cared more for his safety than ours. Or he thought we were dead. But whichever way it went…it was terrible. _

_We've been here, left to rot, for what felt like eternity. _

_But there was one up side to this all. Each day we were all let out of our cages and allowed to touch, hug and talk with anyone else that was taken. At first they were all bright and filled with life and hope…but now? None of them spoke much, their eyes saying everything for them. Their broken, desperate, and pain filled eyes. They same look that my other brother was quickly getting. _

_But my older brother and I were not so easily broken. Thanks to my other brother. He took everything for us so we could stay hopeful and not suffer. He did it for us…and that hurt me even more. And because of him, dear reader, we were being saved. Yes we were still stuck in this torture house whose only motive was to hurt us for fun, but we didn't have to feel that pain. Not nearly as much as the others. And for that, I am the luckiest guy alive. _

_I am just caught in the worst situation. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Can you guess who the writer is yet? Or the older brother? Or the other brother? Or the brother with the unknown fate? Try! Until Next Update. _


	3. Love Scars

**Chibiyu **_Ok I can't say if your guesses are right or not. Ha. _

**Nick: **_Don't bother asking me because I still don't know what goes on in her mind. _

**Chibiyu: **_No one ever shall. _

_DON'T OWN JONAS SO DON'T SUE…but the plot is mine!!!_

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**_But my older brother and I were not so easily broken. Thanks to my other brother. He took everything for us so we could stay hopeful and not suffer. He did it for us…and that hurt me even more. And because of him, dear reader, we were being saved. Yes we were still stuck in this torture house whose only motive was to hurt us for fun, but we didn't have to feel that pain. Not nearly as much as the others. And for that, I am the luckiest guy alive. _**

**_I am just caught in the worst situation. _**

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**_Journal Entry four- May 19th, 2012_**

_I once asked my brother why he took all the punishment onto himself during one of the talking periods. He told me, and I quote;_

_"It's what he would do and I don't want and of you to get hurt. I can handle it." _

_By 'he,' my brother meant my brother that wasn't trapped here. _

_By now you all must be wondering why I don't call my brother's by their names…and as unbelievable as this sounds…I didn't remember them. Yes they were my brothers and I loved them but here…using names was a crime punished by death. I only knew my name and various nicknames given out by the others. The brother across from me was Kunji…I have no idea why…and the brother that took it all unto himself was Lionheart. A self-explanatory Indian name. Me? I preferred to not take part in the silly name games. I'd rather know myself by my real name than by a nickname. But to everyone here, I was Silence. _

_I never once spoke in this prison and I doubted I would ever be able to speak again. Yes I yelled and cried, but even that hurt. It was my choice. I wouldn't cause more suffering for the ones around me. I wouldn't sink to _their _level. _

_I didn't know who they were, their motives or means, or anything about them. It frustrated everyone who still had some fight in them. We had spent over 500 days here and yet, we knew nothing about our captors. All we knew, all we saw, was the woman and the guy. I can give you, my reader, a perfect description of each if you chose. _

_The woman has auburn hair, three inches longer than her shoulders, which she normally keeps up in a bun or ponytail. Her glasses are one I though only old lady's wear, with the chain and everything, and her brown eyes are boring but deep. You can tell by one look at her that she is smart, beautiful, and deadly. She gives off the vibe of a kidnapper, the vibe that tells you to stay away from her. Heed that vibe. _

_The man is tall, over 6 and 6 inches, naturally bald and well muscled. His nose is large and flairs at the end, his arms hairless and his eyes black as night. He walks like an ape and he is as fierce and merciless as a mother bear protecting her cubs. He only laughed or smiled when he was inducing pain. _

_But they were unimportant no ones. We knew nothing of the higher up people, only that the head was a man. Nothing else. And I am not sure I wanted to more too much more, for fear of my shrinking sanity. _

_I am sitting here, writing as I wait for the return of my brother, Lionheart, who again took pain onto himself. We all heard him scream as they whipped him, the snap cutting clearly through the silence. We heard him yell about how he was alone and had no family. How he was lying to get them to stop. But they didn't stop. And they haven't brought him back yet. _

_And that happened sometimes. People went behind those metal doors at the end of this long, caged covered hallway, and they never came back. Some died. We heard that. But some just…vanished. No one knew what happened to them and they were assumed dead. But then someone would see them starring down at us from a window that lined the tall ceiling of this room and the rumors were reborn. No one knew what happened to those people or why they were there. We just knew that they were virtually gone forever. Because once you are seen in those windows, you are never leaving. _

_Sure, in these cages, we had no idea if we were ever going to live. But up there? The girl told us that those chosen people didn't have the privileges we did. But she didn't say more. One kid said they only ate once a week and another said they did tests on those kids. Others said they tortured them day on out, making them sleep on a bed of nails and they kept at it until the person was very nearly dead. And then they stopped and allowed the person to heal before starting again. And if that was true, it wouldn't surprise me. _

_I hadn't been tortured since my second day here and it was minor. But my brothers still threw a fit. They both returned from that room, unconscious and Kunji didn't wake up for two days…according to the bald man anyway. We had no sense of time here. No sense of anything as the real world zoomed on without us. _

_I bell just rang and the cages opened for our hour of talking. I have to go reader. Goodbye. _

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_I closed my precious journal and crawled from my cage, instantly in my brother's arms, just watching the door. _

"What if he doesn't come back?" _I whispered fearfully and the kids around me looked at me sadly. _

"If he doesn't, we will pray for him and you." _A girl whispered, holding a wooden cross necklace, her brown eyes dead and her brown hair tangled. _

"He's coming back!" _My brother forcefully stated and most of the others looked down in shame. _

"We all thought that at first…" _One boy said, but I couldn't see him. _"He's not coming back."

_We all looked, by instinct, to the only uncovered window. The window where people saw the lost ones and it was empty. But that proved nothing. _

_Suddenly, the metal doors banged open and the guy shoved our brother through the door, him stumbling and barely able to stand. The doors slammed shut and we ran over to him, hugging him tightly and drawing back when we both felt his blood on our hands. Kunji picked him up, ignoring the red stains on his newish shirt as he carried our brother back to where we were sitting. _

"We told you he would be back." _I spat in the face of the boy who had spoken earlier. _

"Your luck won't last." _He answered before turning from me. _

"Here," _The same girl who said she would pray for us, whispered, holding out clean strips of fabric. _"I made them for a rough time and I know this is it."

_I took them gratefully and my hurt brother groaned and hissed as my older brother inspected the wounds that lacerated his back and legs. Together we bound the wounds as best as we could and we all tried not to cry out when we saw the blood bleed through the white material. But my hurt brother sat up, strain on his face and he looked at my older brother, seriousness on his face. _

"Listen," _He said turning to me. _"Can you go play with Feather?" _He meant the only other girl my age. I nodded but I didn't. I snuck back around my cage and listened. _

"Why did you do this?" _My older brother asked gently and I heard something I have never heard. My injured brother was crying. I peaked around the edge of my cage and bit my lip when I saw my hurt brother sobbing into my older brother's shoulder. _

"I can't let him get hurt." _He whispered, his voice surprisingly steady. _"I would rather feel the pain myself than see him go into that room." _He said, with more force and I wished he wouldn't feel that way. I don't want him in this much pain. _

"If you do this one more time…we may never see you again." _My older brother expressed both of our fears. _

"I know…but every time someone goes into that damn room, there is a chance of never coming back." _He truthfully stated, gritting his teeth and pulling away from my older brother, no longer crying. _"I won't let you or him face that chance."

"We can take it. You don't have to do this all yourself." _My older brother tried to reason. _

"I do." _My hurt brother sighed. _"I…I want you both to have a chance of getting out of here alive." _He finally revealed and my older brother gasped and hugged him. _

"We aren't leaving without you."

_I ran out and hugged them and they weren't surprised to see me listening in. Even the worst times could never break up the love and bonds of brothers. _

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**_Journal Entry Five-May 19th 2012_**

_Hello again reader. My brother came back, barely able to walk, but he was back and alive. He told us he was only taking out pain so we could have a chance of getting out of here alive. So we wouldn't be scathed or burdened. He truly was a lion at heart. Strong and brave. I never knew he could be like this. But then again, he never had the need too. He never had to grow up as quickly as he did in these two years. He never and should never have to care and worry and act for us as he does now. I shudder to think at what he must think, endure, for our sake. _

_I remember the day I was beaten and compared it to everything we knew he went through, and the things we didn't know. We knew of the beating and of the whipping and knifing. But we knew there was so much more that happened to him that we didn't know. Only guessed. But he would never tell us, even though we begged him too. His answer was always the same; no. _

_For you reading this, try and put yourself in my position. Only allowed to pee, to eat and to talk once a day. Held in cages for the rest of the time and waiting in agony for them to take you behind those two doors, where they could do anything to you._ _Can you imagine the rib cracking pounding of your heart as they approached your cage and the relief when they passed? Can you imagine feeling nothing as another poor innocent was dragged out to be tortured?_

_No you can't. You can't put yourself in my shoes. And I pray you never will._

_I should explain why I am allowed this journal. Everyone in here was allowed one possession. The girl chose the cross, I chose this journal. My hurt brother gave me his picture to put on the inside cover and my older brother chose his "write with water" pen, which I am now writing with. They both and given up their only possessions for me. To remember and to vent, as they put it. And I felt guilty, at first, for taking them. But I saw the light in my older brother's eyes when he saw me writing and whenever I saw my hurt brother when I looked at the picture, he almost smiled. So I knew I made them happy by cherishing and using what they gave me. A pen ran now by tears and the last memento of my full family; the last day they were alive. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Action will come eventually. Hopefully. :~) Until Next Update! _

_ Guess again for which brothers are which if ya want!_


	4. Silence

**Chibiyu: **_I got bored with doing the recap things and I found it difficult to do it for this story…because I am too lazy at the moment. _

**Nick: **_…ok…_

_TO LAZY TO OWN ANYTHING…even my brain…but the plot is still mine. _

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**_Journal Entry Six-May 19, 2012_**

****_I only have enough time to write this; I hate watching my hurt brother cry. _

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_I clung to both of my brothers and I felt tears burn my exposed arm. I looked up, horrified, to see both of my brothers crying again and I was shocked to feel tears on my own face. This wasn't like us. We were supposed to be strong. _

_But even the strongest people can be weak. _

_My hurt brother turned and hugged me tightly, pulling me into his lap and playing with my hair. And I let him. It was a comfort thing to him that I was still here and ok and it was the same thing to me. That he was still he to care and protect, no matter what they did to him. My hurt brother leaned against my older brother and I knew of the fear expressed in his eyes, though I couldn't see it. I watched my older brother scoot over and hug him tightly again. _

"Shh…It's going to be alright." _He had almost broken the golden rule right then. He almost whispered our hurt brother's name. It wasn't as comforting without your name in that sentence. I don't know why, but right now, the thing I wanted the most was to hear my brothers say my name once, so I knew it wasn't forgotten. _

"No. It won't be." _My hurt brother whispered but his words rang out through the sudden silence. No one would ever think to see the day Lionheart lost hope. He was the strong one…and they may have broken him. _

"Don't say that!" _My older brother told him, rather forcefully. _"Don't ever say that!"

"I won't lie…I can't lie." _My hurt brother whispered, just as softly as before and he hugged me tighter. _"We aren't getting out of here…it's been two years. I've…I've given up Kevin."

_Everyone was stunned into a deeper silence. Not only had the bravest and strongest one here given up…he also broke the rule that would grant him death. His name…Kevin…I remembered that now. My older brother was Kevin. Kevin held my hurt brother in more of a shielding embrace than hug now. But no one came to redeem the rule. No one came to punish him. _

_I lunged for my journal and added a few words to my last entry;_

_ **My older brother's name was Kevin and my hurt brother was not punished for saying that out loud. Why?**_

_After a few minutes of Kevin trying to have our hurt brother regain hope, the bell rang. We all jumped up and ran, scuttled and scurried to our cages and in a few seconds, all was still and all was silent. _

_And still, no one came to punish my brother. _

_No one came at all. _

_Why? _

_I lay down in the corner of my small, hard and cold cage, shivering a bit. But then I thought to my hurt brother, who was colder without a shirt and still in pain. But even he was still better off than some of the kids here. Some of them, truthfully, were better off dead. _

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_THE HEAD'S POV_

Why did I kidnap, kill and torture children? For fun, yes, but it held a greater purpose. These kids and teenagers, they weren't as innocent as some may believe. No. They all have had their names slated down to be recruited by _them _ever since they were born. And it was my job to make sure _they _never reached these kids. To prove these kids weren't as special as they thought. To save them from ending the world.

That is why I kidnapped them. But the torture? I have my reasons. Some might call me insane, but no. I was far from insane. I was just saving the world. These kids are dangerous. Innocent they may look, but _never _judge a book by its cover. These kids each had the power to end life as we knew it. Though of course, they didn't know it.

It wasn't a super power or any non human ability, but there was something about these kids that made them special. Their brain, will, courage, stealth, faith, everything that was more than normal levels, these kids had something. And that was why they were wanted. Wanted by the most evil company in the world. One no Normal ever heard of.

I only knew of it because I was not a Normal. I escaped from the prison of the company and I vowed to never return and never make another soul suffer as I did. So I did this. To protect them. The torture came with the job. They could NEVER discover anything and hurting them to the point of ignorance was the only way to keep them safe. I've tried everything else and nothing worked. Nothing except this.

I truly did hate seeing them all in pain…but I had to keep them safe. I had to keep the world safe. And they called me a monster for it.

I walked out of my office that surveyed the long caged hallway, feeling my normal pang of remorse as I starred. I never wanted it to come to this. But I had to keep it this way.

"Ma'am?" I turned as faced my secretary, her long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, glasses dangling on the end of her small nose. "One of them said a name a few minutes back. Your orders?"

I studied her pale blue eyes. "What name was said?"

'"Kevin Lucas's sir, by his brother."

"Let it be ignored." I ordered before walking away from her. She looked confused but noted it anyway. The name thing was a silly rule as well. But if _they _ever came and called out names, no one would know they were calling for them. If _they_ called for relationships, in time, the kids wouldn't know their own siblings. I had to reshape their lives and futures if I wanted this world to live.

But there was still one other I couldn't find. After he escaped from the Lucas's house two years ago, we lost track of him. I had no idea where he was, who he was, or if he was alive. And I needed to know. This boy was the last one I had yet to catch. And I couldn't find him.

But I would find him. I was _never _beaten. Not once. And he wasn't going to beat me.

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**_Journal Entry Seven-May 20th, 2012_**

****_Hello again reader. Everyone survived the night and I was so glad that my hurt brother was ok. Kevin actually smiled when he saw him and that was how I knew it was all alright. _

_I should tell you something. My brothers and I were the first ones in here and for two years, I held onto this journal, enduring everything, not even thinking of you. I don't know what possessed me to start writing in you but I think it had to do with my lack of voice. We can't speak here and I got fed up with that. I couldn't express my fears, worries, or anything with words, so I finally turned to this journal. I think that is why I started this. _

_Writing does lessen the pain, but it never makes it go away. Nothing does anymore. Not a hug, a touch, a word of kindness or love…nothing. To me, even with the absence of physical scars, like hurt. It hurt to see countless kids go through those cursed doors and never come back. Or if they did, to come back bleeding, crying, or unconscious. It hurt to see the fear in all of their hopeless eyes. But it hurt the most knowing my own brothers were here and that it was because of them I was saved from being scarred. It hurt to see their pain…even though I should be the one in the pain. _

_I may be young, but two years in this place is enough to make a two year old, if one would live, act like a grown up. You had to grow up fast here, or you died. So I grew up. If my parents were alive, they wouldn't recognize me. If my escaped brother were to come, he would wander aimlessly looking in every cage, and he would pass mine. He would pass Kevin's and our hurt brothers. We weren't the same anymore, inside or out. And that hurt. _

_I have to go again. They are coming. _

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_SAME POV_

_ The door slammed open and everyone that was previously asleep jerked awake. But this wasn't routine. Thirty guys paraded down the aisle, each holding a shot gun. They filled the hall, spreading out and not a sound was to be heard. Everyone was frozen in fear. Were they finally going to kill us? _

_I looked up in alarm and saw Kevin frowning in thought, looking at my hurt brother. I looked through the tiny holes on the side of my cage and saw his eyes flashing to me from the holes in his. But he looked away swiftly. But I had to smile. I saw the determination. He hadn't given up after all. I put on my on brave face, hope returning from his strength. _

_Two guys opened the metal doors and they pushed a new kid through and one girl, the girl that told us she would pray for us, screamed. But it was left unpunished. Her cage was opened and she burst out, disregarding the guns and embraced the younger girl. _

"Maia!" _She yelled. _"Mi hermana!" _She yelled, crying hard and the girl looked stunned but hugged her all the same. _

"Get off of her!" _A demanding voice yelled and the girls were separated at gun point. _"We brought your little sister here to take your place Anna." _A girl's voice sneered from the speakers. _"You see, you weren't the girl we needed after all. Your little sister was. Goodbye Anna."

_A gun shot ran just as I forced my eyes closed. No one moved or breathed except for the sobbing little girl, Maia. I will remember your name Maia, I promise you. And you too Anna. I will remember you to my grave. _

_I felt tears falling down my face and a guy turned to me. _

"Oh, look, a cry baby." _He sneered and Kevin's eyes got really wide. _"Let's toughen 'im up!" _He opened my cage. _

"NO!" _Both of my brothers screamed. _"Take us not him!" _They yelled but they were ignored. I heard them pounding against my cage but nothing happened to him. I was dragged out forcefully and led to the dreaded doors. _

_I averted my eyes as I was forced to step over the bloodied and emptied body of Anna. And then I was through the doors. _

"Welcome." _The man sneered. _"I think you know what to expect here. Am I correct?"

_I nodded, trying to keep the fear from my face and eyes. But it was so much harder when you were literally starring into the face of fear. It was only me and him but that made it all the scarier. The silence was so complete a feather falling to the floor would sound like an explosion. _

"You may speak in here." _A woman's voice called and I gathered my courage but I didn't speak. I haven't in ages. _"Oh that's right. You're the silent Lucas Boy." _She laughed lightly and I looked and finally found the intercom. Her voice seemed familiar somehow, like a long lost memory. _"Well we never have to worry about him breaking the no talking rule." _She laughed again but it sounded colder. _"Teach him what we do to cry babies." _She ordered and the guy cracked his knuckles. _

"With pleasure Ma'ma." _And his fist connected with the side of my face. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

I was terrified for my little brother. Terrified he would come back with horrific marks. Terrified that he wouldn't come back at all. My eyes found with my other younger brother and I was shocked to see and look of pure hate and intense anger shooting through his dark eyes. His fists were chalk white from the strength of his clench and he was shaking, but not, for once, from cold. I had never seen him like this.

His eyes left the door and found mine and that was when I saw my own fear reflected in his orbs. The hall was alive with mummers and whispers, something someone should have taken care of, but no one did. And yet he and I were the only two how didn't need words to express our feelings to one another. I knew he was livid, disgusted and terrified. And he knew I was too. Why waste words for what we already knew?

"I don't like this." My brother finally whispered, his eyes back on the door. But this time, worry accompanied the other emotions. "It shouldn't be him."

"And it shouldn't be you either." I quickly told him, knowing he was about to say he should be in there. "It shouldn't be any of us." He nodded once and then mended the broken silence, tensing as we waited. "He'll be ok. It's his second time back there. They won't take him." I told him but I don't think he believed me.

"They took my sister the first time." A boy told us and he couldn't have been older than 10. But kids are forced to grow mature here. He may be ten years old, but he had the eyes of a twenty years. I doubted his own parents would recognize him when he got out of here.

"What was her name?" I asked, noting how my younger brother fell deeper into silence.

The boy looked around. "May. She was 13. Why are we here?" He asked, his voice changing form sadness to fear in seconds. "I want my sister and I want to go home!" He cried, his green eyes swiftly tearing.

"You get home soon, with May." I lied and the boy knew he wouldn't as well. He didn't talk to me from then on.

These people needed to die…no even death was too good for them. And then the door opened again and my brother yanked on his cage doors, rage the only thing in his eyes.

And then I looked to my little brother and understood.

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**_Journal Entry Eight_**

****_I was taken again today. Taken and beaten and then thrown into my cage as silence was restored around me. My hurt brother reached his fingers through the bullet holes on the side of his cage and I did the same with mine. We each managed to draw some comfort from the feather touch of our fingers. He had, of course, been worried and this was confirmation to him that I was still here. To me, it was comfort knowing I wasn't alone. _

_The man that had first taken us and put us in these god-forbid cages was the one that took me to that undecorated back room. The room was bare, no visible doors, but there had to have been one somewhere, like a trap door or something. But that doesn't matter right now. The room was small and the floor was stained with what I knew was blood…some of which I knew to be my own brothers. _

_A women's voice coming from the intercom had given the order and then…he hit me. _

_Reader, he beat me for crying because they shot a girl who was just reunited with her sister. They shot her because she wasn't the one they needed after all! And I cried; we all did. And yet I was chosen to take the punishment. Better me than my hurt brother though. He's already done so much for me. I could take this. _

_The man turned to me and hit me once no the face. Pain exploded from my cheek and I knew a bruise was already forming. And you know what he did, reader? He laughed. He laughed at the way I cringed and held my cheek. He beamed when I doubled over after he brutally kicked my stomach. He looked ecstatic when he had me on my knees. _

_I was hit 13 times and kicked 7. I had, in total, 15 new bruises. He liked to hit the same spot over and over when he found out what caused me the most pain. _

_But not once did I cry out. I would never give them the satisfaction of hearing my pain. And I would never hurt my brothers by letting them know I was in it by screaming. _

_My nickname is Silence. And silence is what I achieved. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Ok so Kevin was revealed as the older brother. Who is the narrator, hurt brother, and escaped brother? Who is the woman? Until Next Update!_

_Sorry for not updating in a few days, life got in the way and writers block. But it's all good now. I hope _


	5. Death?

**Chibiyu: **_A thanks to _MrsNicholasJonas911 _who has reviewed every chapter anonymously so I can't reply to her. _

**Nick: **_ What no thinly veiled foreshadowing?_

**Chibiyu: **_Not this time hun._

**Nick: **_Did you just call me-_

**Chibiyu: **_Deal with it in therapy. _

_ I DON'T OWN JONAS SO DON'T SUE ME!_

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**_Journal Entry Nine_**

****_It is hard to explain with mere words the fear and pain these people bestowed so remorselessly upon my heart. In fact, it is impossible. _

_Can you see the shakiness of my words? See the tears stains dotting these pages? Those are petty showings of the fear and pain I housed inside. And I felt said ache even when I wasn't in danger. Even when Kevin and my hurt brother weren't in danger. It was always there. _

_I must go. They are coming again. And I know it's for me. _

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_SAME POV_

_ I watched them stalk the aisle, stopping to glare at the pale and shaking inhabitants of the cages. The two, the man and woman, finally stopped at mine and peered in. _

"Well, Little Lucas, it's time for two years worth of pain." _Her sugary voice made me cringe and I saw both of my brothers stiffen and I heard my hurt brother take a sharp intake and whisper 'no.'_

_They threw open my cage door and my hurt brother moved, unnoticed by the two, in his cage. Kevin was shaking his head and screaming, but I heard nothing. The blood thundering through my ears deafened me and my heart thumped to the irregular drum beat of fear. _

"Or maybe we should just kill you in front of your brothers." _The man sneered, fingering a bruise he previously made. I put on my brave face as they dragged my unmoving feet to the door. I was too afraid to scream. Not that it would help. _

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" _My hurt brother yelled and we all turned and looked to see him, out of his cage, the locked on the floor. His fists were clenched until they were whiter than white, his eyes filled with rage and fear, his breathing hard. _

"What are you doing?" _Kevin screamed but my hurt brother smiled for the first time in two years. _

"I'm won't let you hurt him." _He whispered, walking forward. His footsteps echoed among the silence. No one moved, no one breathed. _

"And what are you going to do about it Little Lucas?" _The man sneered, the girl not joining in. My hurt brother grabbed my hand and yanked me from their grasp, forcing me behind him. _

"You are not to touch him." _He growled, his calloused fingers comfortingly holding my hand. He pushed me away as the girl lashed out, and I had no idea what had happened. But when I looked back, I saw my hurt brother bleeding from the forehead. But he didn't acknowledge it. I took another step back and I met Kevin's hand and grasped it tightly. _

"Don't do this!" _He begged uselessly. _"If you do this, you'll never come back!"

_My hurt brother looked at him and nodded. _"I know. But I won't let him face them." _He stated, quite calmly. _"Take me in his place." _He ordered them and they both looked stunned and amused. The waited a moment, obviously getting orders before grabbing him roughly. _

_And the next part will forever be burned into my memory. _

_The girl pulled something silver and shiny from her belt and thrust it into my brother's stomach. _

"NICK!" _Kevin and I both screamed, his name tearing through my lips like I hadn't forgotten it. _

_Nick fell to his knees, hands over his stomach, but it was no use. Blood kept coming. It stained his fingers, dyed his skin and painted the floor. It ran like a waterfall, falling like tears. He coughed roughly and convulsed, hissing out and literally choking from the pain. He was looking at the knife embedded in him with huge disbelieving eyes. _

"Nick!" _I called out in complete agony and he looked up and smiled. But he didn't have time to say anything. The two grabbed him and dragged him through the doors and we heard nothing. _

_Our brother was gone. _

_We would never see him again. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

When we were younger, were free, I always imagined Nick saying goodbye. But it was always for a solo career, because we all knew JONAS wouldn't last forever, and in my imagination, he would always come back. I always dreaded that image and now, it was a reality. Only in this reality, Nick wasn't coming back. He couldn't come back. Not on his own anyway. Or the situation was way worse than what I wanted to admit. That stab wound looked horrible. Nick could very well be…dead.

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**_Journal Entry Ten_**

****_They took him. He saved me and they stabbed my hurt brother, they stabbed Nick. And they took him. I had no idea if that stomach wound had killed him or if he was still suffering from it now. All I knew was that thanks to these people, I would never see my brother again. _

_Nick only did what he did throughout these years to protect me and Kevin. He acted as Big Man, our body Guard, whose fate I knew not of. And he acted in the place of the bravest and strongest man alive. He didn't want to lose us so he made sure we would be alright by taking it all onto himself. And in the end, we lost him. _

_Why not just kill my heart? Why not just kill me! We all lost so much because of these monsters and they've made out lives no less than Hell. I am so sick and tired of living in silence and in a cage. Or expecting a new pain every time I blinked. I was done with all of this and I wanted out. _

_Even if this 'out' meant death._

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_HEAD'S POV_

Humane? No. Important? Yes. Needed? Yes.

I ordered the Lucas boy to be stabbed for many reasons but of course, two outshined the others. One; he was beginning to become a threat, giving the others hope and someone to look up too. Two; we needed him either dead or under our close watch for the next step of this operation. He obviously was the strongest on down there so therefore, he was a threat. So something needed to be done about him.

Did I know if he was dead or alive yet? No, I did not. And once in my past I would have deeply cared, but now, the risk was too great to give time away to care. There was just too much at stake.

Am I sorry that I acted as needed? No. Am I sorry the person that had to get hurt and possibly killed was Nicholas? Yes. I am.

But my job was still far from done. I still had to capture brother number four.

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NARRATOR'S POV

_Death may be inevitable, but that doesn't make it easier. Sadly, truer words have never been spoken. _

_We all waited in silence for something that would never come. We all watched the pool of dark red on the floor. We all were shocked, terrified, enraged, at what they had done. _

_My own hands trembled uncontrollably as I grasped my journal with whitening knuckles, trying to stop the quake but nothing worked. Nothing could calm the forceful pounding of my heart and nothing could stop the wildfire of fear and anger pulsing through my veins. I threw my journal and I instantly regretted it as it banged against the now rattling metal wire door of my cage, breaking the silence. And when it hit the cage floor, it was open, exposing the picture. _

_One second I was looking at all their smiles and the next; tears were blurring my vision and burning my cheeks. To me, it felt like I was crying blood, not tears. It felt I was shedding the blood, the pain Nick tried to save me from. But it all came back to haunt me in the end, despite his best efforts. _

_And suddenly, I wanted Nick. I needed to feel his arms around me in a hug. I needed to hear him say that come tomorrow, everything would be ok. But that was a lie. Tomorrow never comes. It will never get better. Not without him. But I would give anything to ear him tell me that, to believe that lie, because that gave me hope. It seemed to make it all better. _

_But he would never say that to me again. _

_He would never hug me again. _

_Never smile. _

_Never laugh. _

_Never play music. _

_He was gone. _

_For all I knew, he was dead. _

_I, then again, the dead never truly leave us unless forgotten to ease the pain. The pain that should always be remembered to remind us of the fun and love and tears we shared. The pain that tells us that someday, when it is my time, I will see him again. The pain that tells me he is in a better place. _

_But even knowing that never made it any easier. _

_Nothing ever did. _

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**Chibiyu: **_I know its short but I just can't write right now. I'm sorry. Until Next Update. _

_...my foot fell asleep..._


	6. Rekindle

**Chibiyu: **_Ok so you know Kevin and Nick. But who is the Head? Which brother is Joe and which is Frankie?_

**Nick: **_At least I know who I am know…the guy you take away. _

**Chibiyu: **_It is me…I do tend/kill to hurt you a lot. _

_IF I OWNED JONAS…umm…I got nothing…I don't own it ok?_

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_ESCAPED BROTHER'S POV_

If I had had a choice two years ago, things would be different. I would be with my other brothers, enduring what they had to on a daily basis. I wouldn't be here, in the midst of the most powerful corporation in the world, getting our Chief tea.

Tea had been my top priority for two whole years now when it should have been saving my brothers. But every time I tired to run to save them, I could not. A gun was always put to my head and I was told again, very slowly, what they wanted me to do. So I had no choice.

Have I ever had a choice? Not once in two years. Not an important choice anyways, just things like what I wanted to wear or whether to walk or run down the seemingly endless halls of this skyscraper.

But it could be worse.

I could be in my brother's shoes.

And sometimes, I wish I was…just so I could be with them again.

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_NARRATOR'S POV_

_ Endless seconds, breaths, and tears. Endless sorrow, suffering and silence. I cried without a single sound passing my lips as I pressed myself tighter against the corner of my cold cage. _

_Nick was gone and it was my fault. If I had been able to show him that I was stronger, if I could have been less afraid, it would be me being tortured in that room instead of him being dead. Of course, I didn't know if his death was a reality, but to me, it might as well been. We would never see our brother again. In fact, if he was dead, I was envious of him because he finally got out of this hellhole. _

_I stared at the open page of my journal, watching the lifeless eyes in the photo stare glassily up at the low ceiling of the cage. I looked at the picture, willing that moment to have never happened, willing that guy to disappear. But he never did. No one can change the past, no matter how much they will it to change. _

"I'm sorry your brother was taken." _A small girl whispered to us, Maia. _"It's my fault." _I sighed, meeting her almost black Hispanic eyes dead on and I shook my head, putting a finger to my lips. She nodded, understanding faster than what I thought possible. But the impossible seemed to happen here everyday. Only most of the times, it turned out bad. _

_I pulled over my journal and took the pen out from behind my ears, needing to spill my feelings in another form than tears. _

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**_Journal Entry Eleven_**

****_Reader, I have told you what we witnessed, but not in detail vivid enough to emphasize or visualize with. All I told you was that they stabbed my brother, Nick, in the stomach and that I have no idea if he still breathes. _

_They did it so easily, so remorselessly, after just one order, the girl took out her knife ad plunged it right into his gut and into my own heart. But even through the blood and pain, he smiled at me. My last memory of him I will ever have is this one. The one where he smiles right in death's face. But he was not happy about the wound and the possibility of death. No. He was happy because he saved me. Something he shouldn't have had to do. But he did. _

_Think it wrong to look upon myself as the one that shoulders the blame? After all, if I would have stood proudly and had courage like my brother did, I would be the one screaming and bleeding and he would be out of his mind with worry, in his cage. They wouldn't have stabbed me, I had done nothing. While he had given them two years of ignorance and strength. He was a threat, I was not. _

_It should have been me. But it wasn't. Thanks to Nick, it never was. _

_As my rant continues, I feel like I am losing words to write just as I have lost words to say. Nick would have known what to write. He was always writing songs and tapping to a beat…well, he used to anyway. He hasn't for over a year now. Music became less important in his mind as protecting me and Kevin became more. _

_So is it also my fault that Nick gave up his one love in this world as well as his life?_

_How much did I curse him and Kevin? How much did they lose for me?_

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_HEAD'S POV_

I liked trophies, which is more than enough reason to keep these Specials locked away in cages. Well no, actually it is not, but it may play a part in it. The real reason was for this company's safety. And for theirs. But I didn't expect them to understand that. We were the good guys. We wanted to save the world.

_They _wanted to doom it. _They _wanted the world gone. _They _wanted to be the only survivor's and reproduce to build the ultimate human race. Cliché I suppose but _they _had no imagination or morals. Like I did. I was roughing up their precious Special's to ruin them so maybe deter _them _from their goals. To show them humans could never be perfect. To show them my superiority.

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_KEVIN'S POV_

I would never be able to live with myself if Nick was dead. I looked into the eyes of my younger brother, who sat, writing endlessly in his journal. I saw the fear, the pain and the tears in his eyes and I knew he felt the same way.

This wasn't right. None of this was supposed to happen to us! Nick shouldn't have been the one to protect us; that should have been me! We shouldn't even be in these god forsaken cages anyway! And yet, we were. And we had no idea why.

And I had to figure it out before my little brother was taken as well. But how could I when I too would be killed if I spoke out?

The metal doors slammed open, the boom reverberating around the metal walls, cutting through the silence like a battle axe. A tall brunette, wearing heals and simple clothes walked out in front of us. She wore a strange little blue beret which was tilted to shadow her eyes. She stopped outside mine and my brother's cage and we instantly knew she was the one that did this to us.

"Where's my brother? Why are we here?" I demanded loudly at the woman as she looked at me, her eyes unseen. But her smile stretched into something more like a grimace.

"Strong words Kevin." She sighed. "But I have come with a message that answers one of your questions." She looked over to my younger brother and bit her lip. "Nicholas is dead." And then she walked away, out the other doors that where forever locked. The ones that led to freedom.

Ni…Nick was dead? No! He can't be! Not my brother! Not him. Why couldn't it have been me? I was the oldest! I should have been the one to burst out of my cage and save Frankie! I should have been the strong one! It should have never been my poor diabetic brother! It should never have been Nick.

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_ESCAPED BROTHER'S POV_

I need to look for them. I need to save them. It can't be too late. It just can't be!

"Lucas!" The Chief yelled, her girly voice filled with intimidating authority.

"Y-yes Ma'am?" I stuttered, bowing lowly, hearing my brother's taunting my about being whipped in the back of my mind.

"It's time Lucas. Your brothers and all the others trapped in that place are going to be saved." She told me, her voice softening considerably.

I bowed even lower and kissed her hand, as I knew she wanted me too. "Thank you my lady!" I gushed with a huge smile.

"You will go on the mission too. I want to see your smile when you see your brothers." She smiled as I jumped up in excitement and screaming my endless thanks.

Here I come guys, hang in there!

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**_Journal Entry Continuation_**

****_The Head just informed us that our brother is dead. _

_Dear Reader, can you not tell of my sadness from the tears ruining the ink on my illegible words? Can you not tell that I blame myself? Kevin is crying and I blame myself. The others around me are silently weeping and I blame myself. If only I could have been stronger, less afraid, more like him. Then everything would have been ok. Then he wouldn't have been killed. _

_I know what you are thinking, 'they just would have stabbed you too!' _

_No, they wouldn't have. I would have just gotten roughed up because I never gave them any ill like Nick did to protect me. To them, he was a threat that needed to be neutralized. I would have lived. But no. I lived and he died. _

_It wasn't fair. Life is never freaking fair. Why can't we just go back into being a happy family with a four brother band? Why can't we just go back to that day when JONAS no longer was a three brother operation? Why can't we just smile again and laugh without the fear of being killed for it?_

_Killed…like Nick was. _

_That hurt so much that I can't even begin to describe the pain. Oh Reader, it feels as though my heart has been torn from my chest and is being compressed until flattened, until it explodes. It feels as though my blood has turned to venom and its killing everything inside. It feels like these tears I am so rightly crying are liquid fire, burning away my skin in a form of slow death. _

_But I couldn't die. Nick gave his life so I would stay safe. I wouldn't let his death be in vain. I would never do that. It was his last act and his last words were;_

_"I know. But I won't let him face them." _

_And then he was stabbed and killed right before our eyes. _

_I was the him. The context of the conversation was Kevin screaming that if he did this, Nick would never come back. And Nick knew that but he still did this. But he didn't know he would die because of it. He may have suspected it, but the fear and surprise in his eyes when he was the knife, red from his own blood, protruding from his chest, was all too real. He hadn't known. But he still did what he had meant to. He made me untouchable. _

_His last gift to me was my own life. _

_But it didn't make his own death any easier. _

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NARRATORS' POV

_I quietly closed my journal and sat, letting my tears fell without a sound. Mourning for Nick as everyone else in this hell hole was doing. All the kids in here lost the person that brought them hope. We lost a brother. But in here, it wasn't too different. We all knew each other and we all knew our fate. We all were hidden in the shadows of ignorance as to why and we all were afraid of answering that 'why.'_

"It's not fair." _Someone somewhere far off shouted, his voice echoing as the slamming door had. _"Why did they kill him?" _His cries were answered by the silence of the others. _"They killed our hopes and a brother! This isn't right! This isn't fair!" _He continued, sobbing of others soon drowning out his own voice but surprisingly, I was composed. _

"Life isn't fair." _I announced to the weeping and everyone looked at me in awe. _"My brother was one person out of almost 200 of us that still had hope." _ I took a rather shaky breath and looked into the proud eyes of my older brother. _"I say we follow in his footsteps and rekindle out hope. Nick would have wanted that." _I finished, pulling my scabbed knees to my chest and crying into them._

_I jumped as a small boom shattered the stunned silence. And another. And another. _

_Clapping. _

_I looked around in my limited vision and everyone was clapping and cheering. Though tears were still raining from all of their eyes, they were smiling. They had something to believe in again. _

_I killed Nick. _

_But I also did this._

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**Chibiyu: **_Yeah my mother is being annoying again so I have no time to do more. Until Next Update!_


	7. Addition

**Chibiyu: **_Just to clear up something's The Chief and the Head are two completely different people. Joe is NOT working for the Head, he is working for the Chief, two bosses for two different companies. _

**Nick: **_So tell me, am I dead or not?_

**Chibiyu: **_When have I ever told you?_

_DON'T OWN JONAS SO DON'T SUE MEEEEE!_

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**_Journal Entry Twelve_**

****_I never did tell you name, did I, dear reader? My name is Franklin Nathaniel Lucas, but if you call me Franklin I will break your face. It's just Frankie. I am eleven years old; they took me when I was nine. I am eleven years old, and I am already contemplating suicide. _

_You want to know why reader? You should already know. One of my brothers is presumed dead, one is missing, possibly forever, and the other was just taken by them. If he didn't come back, I would be alone. They would have al left me. Mother, father, Macy, Stella, Kevin, Nick…and….and…Joe. Yes, that was his name. Joseph Adam Lucas. Nicholas Jerry Lucas. Paul Kevin Lucas, and me, Frankie. So familiar?_

_We were the number one band JONAS. I joined three weeks before we were captured, after insisting and begging, Nick finally convinced my other brothers to let me in. Those were the best three weeks of my life. And then _they _ruined it. _

_But enough on the past. I am letting the past be the past. _

_It may not seem like this to you, reader, but whenever my pencil rests snuggly between my fingers and hovers over these yellow pages, I never know where to begin. To you, I always begin with the torturous experience, or the worry of and for my brothers, or my hate for these monsters, but that is just a safety net for me. I start with those when I don't know how to start. And from then on, the words flow freely and they don't stop. I wonder if this is what Nick felt when he was writing a new song and couldn't put it down. His mind supplying the endless words and melodies, his fingers just dancing either over keys, stings, drum sticks, or pencils and paper. But now I could never ask him. Now I would never know. He was simply…dead. _

_It even hurts to write that cursed word. _

_But I don't fear death. Yeah, I used to, when I was young enough to believe my mom ad dad and brothers would live forever to protect me. Oh, I would give anything for that naivety back. But no, I don't fear death anymore. I've seen it so many times. But that is not the reason. I don't fear flying to Heaven because I know my mom and dad are there, waiting for me with open arms. And I know I won't have to leave all of my brothers behind. _

_But if I died, Kevin would be alone. I won't let him be alone. So I will live on. For him, for the hopes of the caged kids around me…and for Nick. _

_For Nick, I will live on. _

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_JOE'S POV_

I was finally my time! I could finally save them from that horrid place! Well, not that this place was much better but at least half the things the Chief told us about weren't true here! And if all of those things were true…I could only hope and pray my brothers were alright.

"Joseph!" The Chief barked and I bowed, not making eye contact. When did this all start? Everything used to be normal and to think…all of this was going on even without us knowing.

"Yes Ma'am?" I asked to my feet, afraid to make the blonde angry.

"Look at me Joe." She said, kindly, which was rather…odd. And I did, and I almost smiled when I saw her soft eyes and smile on her face. "I have good news." She told me. "Tonight, we are busting your brother's from that hole." She told me and she then proceeded to go over the plan with me.

IT WAS TONIGHT!

I could finally see my bro's again after two years! Would Kevin have a beard? How is Nick coping with his diabetes? And Frankie…I hope that hasn't affected him too much.

Too say I was excited for this was an understatement, but there was one thing that out weighed the happy feeling. Worry.

How would they be changed? Would they be ok? What if one of them was permanently hurt?

None of them could be dead…The Chief would have told me…

"Joe?" I looked up from the battle plan and back over to her. "There is something you should know…" She whispered. "It's about Nick."

Oh God…

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_KEVIN'S POV_

A night without Nick…could we take many more? All I could stare at was the empty cage glaring at me. The shadows clinging to the corners far from friendly and the air in there seemed lonely and sad without my brother occupying it. I stole a glance to Frankie, to see how he was holding up, but I couldn't see his face. He was bent over that journal, writing and occasionally flipping back to the picture and touching it. As if he was remembering that day and wishing we could go back and change it. But no one can change the past. Not a wish, nor prayer, or tears can change what has already happened.

If they could…Nick would still be here with us.

What did they do to bodies here? Cremate probably, seeing as far too many died to actually bury. I almost broke at that. Nick had always hated fire and the last thing he ever wanted was to be cremated. But when have any of us gotten what we wanted in these past 2 years? In fact, the only thing I can think of is Nick giving himself up so Frankie is untouchable. And it worked.

A loud bang was heard from the doors we all hoped lead to freedom and we all, as one, jumped. Frankie slammed his journal closed and shoved under his shirt to rest in this pants line. I was awkward, but it insured that the little book wouldn't be taken away. No one breathed a word as shouts and screams echoed across our chamber from outside. No one moved either. Everything was perfectly silent, excluding the various noises from outside.

What was going on?

I looked back to Nick's old cage and noticed something I hadn't before. All the times he had been sitting in there with his fingers on the cage door, he had been working at the hinges. And very slowly, over the years they both were worn enough he could bust the door open from the wrong end. And by doing that, the lock on the other side would act as a hinge. My little brother was really a genius.

The doors slammed open and everyone jumped and retreated to the far corners and darkness infested corners of our cages. I looked to my little brother and he looked back, no fear in his eyes, only confusion. But I guess I understood that. We've been through so much that not much could scare us.

"Take only those on the list!" A voice whispered, like someone was leaning against the door. Wait…some of us would be taken? No way…I wouldn't be taken without Frankie. That is for sure. I couldn't leave him with theses people. I saw his fear when I had come back from the room with a ropy burn coloring my hand. Even though they weren't touching him now, doesn't mean they won't in the future. I can't leave him here so if I am picked, I will decline.

The metal doors burst open and everyone looked both fearful and hopeful as people streamed trough the door, instantly running and opening select cages. A few just stood in shock as they surveyed the conditions we had to live in. But at least we did live…most of us…

"Well, look who we have here." We all turned listen to the intercom but they didn't stop their work. "Take the ones you need, they will crawl back to us in no time…one they find out that you want to destroy this world." A woman's voice crackled through and we all instantly knew she was the one in charge. "Take the select ones…they won't help you…in the end."

And then it was silent again except for the unlocking of cage doors. What had she meant? In the end? No Kevin, don't think of Nick's song…but in the end of what? And they wanted to destroy the world? If that's what the people saving us wanted, then what did _she _want?

Figures ran passed mine and Frankie's cage and I watched Frankie's eyes widened as they locked onto a face I couldn't see. And then someone familiar unlocked his cage and swept him up in a hug.

"Oh God…Joe?" I whispered and he turned around, him mouthing my name before setting Frankie down, but not letting go if his hand and undoing my lock as well.

"Kevin!" He whispered, helping me climb out and hugging me tightly as well. I picked up Frankie and took Joe's arm.

"Come on, we have to go." I told him but he didn't move.

He didn't know…

"What about Nick?" Joe asked, his voice shaky. "They told me they didn't know about him…"

I pulled Joe into a hug. "He's dead Joe."

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**Chibiyu: **_Keep in mind that this fic is 2 years in the future. Lol. And yes, this chapter is SUPPOSED to be short. _

CHECK OUT JiaMarieJonas SHE IS NEW ON THIS SITE AND INCREDIABLE!


	8. Air

**Chibiyu: **_Wow sorry it took so long to update this and don't worry all of you "Last Goodbye" fans, that update is coming soon too!_

**Nick: **_And here I was, hoping you would have forgotten about these stories. _

_IT'S A GOOD THING I DON'T OWN JONAS OR THE SCRIPTS WOULD NEVER BE WRITTEN….compared to how I have been updating recently. _

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_FRANKIE'S POV_

_ We all watched Joe's face as he processed the news. It turned from relief and happiness of finding us, to confusion and worry to absolute murder and heart break. I looked, shaking from my own pain that came from seeing Joe and only having his hopes of saving all of us crash down, and I saw other cages opening, but some remaining closed. In fact, only five others were being freed and now they were being towed, dragged and carried through the doors as they screamed for their friends or family. We were lucky that we were going together, but unlucky because Nick was gone. _

"We have to go." _Kevin whispered and Joe nodded, pulling him forward. I held my breath as we passed through the doors, waving goodbye to all who were still trapped, as I waited for anything, anyone to come and ruin this moment. To kill us like they did so easily before. But nothing happened. No one came. And we walked through the doors and into a giant fenced courtyard and I dared to breathe again. _

_I almost smiled in Kevin's hold as I smelled fresh air for the first time in two years and as I felt the warm night wind caress my face. My ears heard the sounds I had long since forgotten and vowed to never take for granted again, like the late night birds singing along with the crickets and the frogs belting out a low tune. We left the gated courtyard with the others and instantly, life seemed normal again. It seemed like nothing could touch us out here in the firefly infest field and nothing could sneak up on us with the full moon's ever watchful eye. It seemed…peaceful. But it was all wrong. Nick needed to be here with us. And thanks to those evil people, he wasn't. _

_I shifted in Kevin's arms and he put me down. I latched onto Joe's hand and he smiled sadly down at me, his eyes holding back rain. I can't believe he is gone either Joe…_

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_JOE'S POV_

Nick was…dead? No! He can't be! I finally get here to save my brothers and I find out that nick couldn't wait for me? That he chose death over waiting?

What am I thinking? It wasn't Nick's fault…he didn't want to die…That much I knew about him. That much I remembered. But how…? Did I even want to know? Note to self: ask Kevin when Frankie is asleep and safe.

Speaking of my brothers…they both looks so different. Yes, they looked well cared for, which was odd and looking over the occasional burns and scars, everything seemed normal. Their hair was cut, they didn't look undernourished or suffering from a disease. They looked healthy…or they would if not for the dead and afraid look behind their eyes.

Kevin still had life in his and I knew that was from watching over Nick and Frankie. He had to stay strong for that. But they lacked the sparkle that made them Kevin's eyes. They lacked everything I remembered about him. The sparkle, the humor, the innocence, all of it was gone.

And Frankie…how was he still eleven? He looked so much older and I knew he had matured beyond belief in this place. I knew he had changed from the jokester spy who used to love playing in our band and trying to make his own, to this stranger. He was still my little brother, but I doubted I knew him anymore.

And Nick…were he alive…what would I see in him? Would I see the music loving idiot whom I loved or would I see a new person lurking behind my brother's eyes? I guess I would never know…I'm sorry Nick…I'm sorry I wasn't faster.

"When…when did he die?" I asked, trying to keep the shake from my voice but I knew they heard it. Frankie squeezed my hand gently as we walked to the black cars everyone was piling into. I watched Frankie look to Kevin and Kevin was chewing his lip, counting the hours back.

"About four hours ago." Kevin informed me, hanging his head, trying to keep strong.

"How?" I whispered, not caring anymore if Frankie was here. He probably witnessed it happening or, if not, he probably already knew about it.

"He was standing up for me." Frankie whispered to his feet. "He wanted them to take him and hurt him like they were planning to do to me…" He trailed off and looked to Kevin, never sounding more sad and more scared. We stopped when we got to the last car and I made sure they were in and secure before telling the driver to step on it.

"Nick always protected us both as much as he could." Kevin told me. "He was the one that always got taken to the back room to get beaten or play some sick game…he did it in our places, most of the time." I leaned over and hugged both of my brother's tightly. I needed it as much as they did.

"Why?" My voice cracked as I started failing at being strong. I would have done the same thing in that situation, if Nick and I swapped places.

"Because…he said it was what you would do…and he didn't want to see us get hurt." Kevin informed me with a shaky voice and I could almost hear his tears. But to me, it sounded like he was holding something back.

Frankie shifted and looked to Kevin. "He also said it was because he wanted to give us the chance of getting out alive." My youngest brother's voice was barely loud enough to be considered a whisper, and yet, to me it was like he had shouted. Nick had given up everything for the small hope that someone would come and save his brothers. So his brother's could leave without many marks and still retain a little of who they are. He gave everything for them…and it killed him.

I watched Frankie pull something from under his shirt and gave me a journal.

"I only recently started writing in it…but it may tell you something."

I opened the journal, aware of the tremors that shook my hands and I read the first sentence and I wanted to stop. But I couldn't I needed to know what my brother's went through, and writing was better than words, in some occasions. Like this one. This gave me the facts without emotions influencing the words, though emotions were still shining through the words.

I read the last entry and I closed the book, not even realizing Kevin and Frankie had both been hugging me and that tears had finally started falling.

"It's just…just…" I searched my brain for a word that would accurately portray the disgusting, inhuman, and wrong actions that my brother's have seen and endured. But I couldn't.

"I know." Kevin ended my searched just as the car stopped. "Where are we anyways?

At least I could finally give them good news. "We are at the good side."

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_HEAD'S POV_

_ Whom did they take? Eight people…the two Lucas's of course, Franklin and Kevin, and then five others who really I don't see why _she _picked them out in the first place. With Franklin and Kevin you had known faces, fame, music, talent, a pair of gentleman's, and everything the 'Chief' ever wanted in her own perfect little world. It sickened me. It was my job to show her that these people weren't as special as she believed. They were still human, contrary to what she believed and they did not have a better chance at creating a perfect world than Attila the Hun did! Ok, that was an exaggeration, but I made my point…to myself. _

_But today was the day the poor deceased got cremated. I wandered down the rows of the dead, unhappy that so many fell to the brutality of my men. That had to change. Now. _

"Everyone, to the conference room!" _I barked through the intercom and within the minute, every one of my workers was inside. _"What do you see here?" _I gestured to the pictures of the bed. _

"Dead bodies?" _A genius answer. _

"Oh good answer…now that we have that _obvious _fact out of the way…what else?" _I sneered. I thought I hired brains not mud piles. _

"People who died under our influence…people who didn't need to die." _Another answer, a girl this time. _

_"Exactly." I emphasized that one word to show them how serious I was. _"I don't _care _what I told you in the past, we are changing it now. _No more killing or beatings." _

_I swept out of the room and retook my spot in viewing the line of the twenty dead. Was I worried about them not following my recent order? Not in the slightest. They were all too afraid of what I would do to them if they angered me. I stopped at one body and sighed, wishing with all my heart it didn't have to be this way. But it did. There was no loophole to be found. There was no way to dig myself out of this hole. There was nothing I could do. Nothing. _

_I'm sorry Joe, Kevin, and Frankie. I am sorry I took your brother. _

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**_Journal Entry Thirteen_**

****_Some may not see the point on continuing to write in this journal, now that my brother Joe has come and saved Kevin and I from that awful place. But I'm not dumb; I know this whole thing is far from over. So, dear reader, as this all goes and spirals out of control, this journal will be the only true prisoner documentation of the happenings. _

_Joe…if only you knew him. He is the short and straight haired, glasses wearing one in the picture. He had/has a major crush on the blonde, Stella, whom we still don't know if she or the brunette is dead or alive. Bare with me for a moment while I get off track, but I think it's odd I remembered Stella and Macy's names when my own brother's names escaped me. But it matters not now, so lets get back on track. _

_Joe has always been the funny man, the idealist, the one that loves to make a fool of himself to gain a few laughs. He always looked out for us and in a way, was the protector of the group. He was always there when someone got hurt, physically or emotionally, and he was here now. We needed him in that hell hole and Nick knew that. So, being the closest to Joe and knowing him best, Nick filled Joe's shoes. _

_But even though Joe loved to protect and comfort, he was kind and sweet and gentle. He was a role model, even though sometimes, we wondered where he left his brain. And that was when Kevin would joke and saw 'Joe had a brain?' But I think it will take awhile for us to joke like that again. And I also think that joke may never happen now because like Kevin and I, Joe has grown considerably since we last saw him. He looked the same he did need to shave though. But I doubted he was still the same, lovable, joking Joe we knew him as. _

_When he heard that Nick was dead, we all saw through his act of being strong. And when I let him read this journal, he finally broke. I can't blame him. He hasn't seen us for two years and just now he finds out that he was four hours too late for Nick and what they did to us, to him. That would never be easy on anyone. _

_But I am so happy he's alright and safe. I missed him more than I knew. Which is why I was currently holding his hand tightly in my left hand while I am writing in you. I missed my brother. _

_I miss my brother. _

_I had two but where was the third? I just hoped he was in a better place. _

_I love you Joe, thank you for saving us and I would never blame you for Nick's death. It's not your fault and you know that. _

_I love you Kevin, thank you for being there for Nick and me when we literally descended into Hell. Don't blame yourself for Nicks' death, there was nothing you could have done or changed. You know it would have happened anyway. _

_I love you Nick, for being our protector. Rest in Peace Nick. You were…no are…you are a great brother. _

_Reader, I know this might seem cheesy or cliché, the above statements I mean, but you have no idea how thankful I am for each of them right now. If it hadn't been for them, I would be dead. And you know it too. I couldn't survive alone in that place and thankfully, I didn't have too. _

_Do you see how my words are easy and lack the shake as before? I am still scared and hurting but I know that there is a brighter day for my brothers and me on the horizon. I know that I am free. _

_But there are still so many more than need to taste the fresh night air again. That need to see the stars winking down at them or hear the nightly orchestra. I was happy to be free…but I am guilty that I am free while they are not. _

_I am praying for each and every one of you…_

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_KEVIN'S POV_

It was so weird to see Joe again, but weird in a good way…it was weird in a bad way when I didn't see Nick right next to him as Nick should be.

But more of that later. Joe wouldn't take us to some crazy place so I trusted him there but I liked to know where we were going first. The car still hadn't moved so I thought we were here but no one as getting out. What was going on?

"Kev, it's ok." Joe told me, putting a hand on my arm and I saw that he wasn't ok but he was being truthful. I nodded and looked out the black painted windows, trying in vain to see anything. "Don't even bother." Joe whispered and again I nodded, turning my attention back to my brothers. "Was it really terrible there?" He sounded afraid of the answer.

Frankie looked to his feet, hugging his journal tightly. "It was." He answered, opening the cover of the journal to look at the old picture of our family. Joe's eyes instantly shimmered again with tears as he looked at the picture. He knew it was the last day we were all together and alive. He knew that was the last day where smiling was easy. He knew it was the last thing we had of Mom, Dad, Macy, Stella and Nick.

"Oh…umm…there is one thing you have to know…" Joe looked up, scratching the back of his neck. "The Chief here…umm…it's Stella."

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**Chibiyu: **_Yup. Until Next (and hopefully sooner) Update!_


	9. Strong

**Chibiyu: **_It is so weird only having 5 stories now instead of 7. :~)_

**Nick: **_Isn't that a good thing?_

**Chibiyu: **_I have no idea._ _Ask me later. _

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_HEAD'S POV_

I strolled the long hall filled with now and forever empty cages and smiled as everyone one of my workers saluted me. Maybe that was a bit much, but I never asked them to do it, they did it out of fear. It wasn't like I was an ego maniac that needed people to follow me to the end. No. I was just Macy Misa, the girl who was _trying _to save the world from her so called best friend's plot. But of course, no one would believe that. They would all believe her because she would treat them like royalty and turn them into her little puppets. Her little amazingly dressed puppets.

I kicked open the door to the outside and walked around the fenced in area, the 'Perfects,' as she called them, looking at me oddly. One little girl walked hesitantly over to me and I smiled down at her.

"I like you hair clip." She whispered shyly and I smiled down to her and took the butterfly out of my hair and put it in hers. Her green eyes lit up excitedly and she thanked me, running off to show her friends. I meant to burn that hair clip; Stella had given it to me. But it was better of this way. It at least gained some of the trust from the people around here.

"Why are we here?" A teen boy yelled and I walked to the center of the field, everyone circling around me. "What do you want with us?"

"Why did you torture us?"

"Why did you kill so many people!"

"Where are we!"

"YOU KILLED MY SISTER!"

I sighed, facing all of these ridicules. But that alone was why I was here. To explain. And I am sure it was obvious I was the person in charge. I still wore my dark blue beret but it was tilted so my eyes were not covered. Everyone here knew the beret meant power, I don't know how they knew that, but they just did. Stella hated berets but I loved them. I also wore knee length black laced boots, another thing I loved but Stella hated. I wore skin tight jeans, something Stella hated on girls, and long sleeves dark blue shirt and a white scarf. All the things that Stella hated but I loved.

"If you all will listen to me, I will explain everything and I promise that nothing that happened in the past will happen to you again, but only if you listen." I calmly told the angry crowd and the shouts died to murmurs, which I waited to cease. "Alright. You all are here because there is another company that wants you on their side."

I watched people looked around confused. I saw a few open their mouths but they closed them, not finding the right words.

"That company has an evil Chief, more so than I was to you. She wants to create a 'perfect' world where only the strongest, smartest, most talented, nicest, and _best _people live. So she started finding these 'Perfect' people, and she started making something that would wipe out every single normal person that didn't make it in her eyes." I looked over to the stunned faces.

"And how do you know this?" A small girl with wise brown eyes asked and I sighed.

"Because I was her best friend." Everyone stirred. "But we got into a fight over this and she told me I wasn't good enough for her world. So I ran. I took a list of the names that were supposed to be taken, and I ran." I looked to my feet. "I was a track star in high school and the Chief…she lacked the physical qualities needed to get a 'C' in gym class."

"So why torture us?"

I looked to the same boy teen that had spoken earlier and pursed my lips. "Because I wanted to show that rat that you all can be flawed, that you are not perfect. That there is _no such thing _as a perfect human being." I ignored the anger and coldness that was flooding into my voice as I remembered saying that exact thing to Stella two years ago. On the same day she split up the Lucas Brothers and ordered their family to be killed, saying they would be the first of many to die. Losing her best friend and getting the power changed her. But I hadn't let it change me.

"Isn't torturing us…I don't know…_extreme?_" The boy barked and crossed his arms.

"What's your name?" I asked eyeing the teen.

"Eric." He told me, hate in his voice.

"Well Eric, have you ever had to watch a friend go mad with power? Have you ever had to hear a friend laugh so manically that everyone in the room ran for their lives? She thought anyone who was perfect can't get hurt. And I hoped by hurting you all, that she would turn her back on this stupid idea that humans can be perfect and they can create a perfect population in a perfect world. But she doesn't get it." I hissed, not mad at the boy, but at Stella. "And I am sorry that I had you all go through that. You all did nothing to deserve it and I am sorry. If I could take it back, I would."

They all stirred again from the sincerity and truth in my voice.

"Yes, it was extreme, but I hoped that by hurting you, she would see that her plan is stupid and she wouldn't wipe out _the entire human race._"

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_STELLA'S POV_

I got the Lucas boys! Well…three of the four anyway. It is a shame about Nick…but I didn't suspect anything less with Macy. Moving on from the _tragic _event…

I was sitting in my lavishly and stylish office, awaiting Joe to bring the rescued ones to me. But I knew I would have to wait a little longer for the rules to be told to them and the punishments for not following them. But why wouldn't they follow them? This paradise was so much better than Macy's. After all, she was insane for thinking I couldn't create a perfect world and she was insane for running away from it. After all, she only had herself to blame. It was all her fault she was going to die and I didn't even care! I had Joe and he was all I needed to fill her shoes. And now I had her prized trophies, her favorite band of brothers, minus one of course. Oh, I wish I could see her face.

"One day Macy…one day you will regret crossing over to the world of the Normal. I still can't believe you chose that over being Perfect." I sighed and dropped the picture of my ex best friend into the fireplace. "But it doesn't matter now Macy…I will stop you before you stop me."

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JOE'S POV

I watched Kevin's eyes widen and Frankie blink and tilt his head to the side in confusion.

"Stella?" Kevin whispered and I nodded. "What?" All I could do was shrug. She still hadn't told me anything and I've been with her for two years.

"Oh and don't look her in the eye." I told them before the car doors were opened and Joe pushed us out of the car, gently, but still forcefully. "And I can't exactly show affection here either." I whispered to them as I whisked them off into the giant glass buildings courtyard, where the others were already standing. This would be a boring hour of nothing but a seemingly endless list of pointless rules. Great. But I didn't need to listen to them.

But I didn't need to break down about Nick in front of everyone either. But I couldn't ignore emotional storm I was trying to hold back from my face. I couldn't hold back the scream of painful realization that I would never again see my little brother. That I would never again see his rare smile or hear him strumming on his ever prominent guitar. I would never hear him singing softly to cheer up a friend or win the heart of a girl, or just to comfort someone who was sick, like he did with Frankie. I know it wasn't my fault he was dead…I just can't allow myself to be the blame because Nick wouldn't want me to blame myself.

But it still hurt knowing that if we could have been just hours quicker…he would be with us now. But I can' change the past, no matter how much I want to. I want nothing more than to go back to the day this all started so I could stop it. So I could move my family far from the house and into hiding. So we could be safe, happy and together. But that was just another fantasy that could never happen. I would never admit it to anyone, but I miss them so much. I miss mom and dad, I miss the old Stella, I miss Macy, and I miss Nick. I miss them all so much. But they are gone. And because of that, my heart isn't whole. Because of that, it hurts every time I breathe and I know that this ache will never go away with any amount of time. It will stay with me until I die…until I join them.

But now I have to be strong for my living family. They've been through so much, they've been through Hell for a lack of a better word, and they needed me. They needed a strong shoulder to cry on and someone who could comfort them. They needed the old Joe and I intended to give him to them.

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**Chibiyu: **_OK…I want to write more, but I can't. Thank you writer's block! Thanks a bunch…grr. Until Next Update!_


	10. Uncertainty

**Chibiyu: **_Ash…you gave me a fun-structive idea. And dear, Nick is NOT your baby. He is mine!_

**Nick: **_And of course I have no say in it…but out of fear for my life…I pick Chibi._

**Chibiyu: **_Ha! :~) And I am so lucky and blessed to have amazing readers and reviewers. Even if you don't review, I am still eternally grateful for reading. Love you all, and yes Nick, even you. _

**Nick: **_It doesn't seem like it…_

_DON'T OWN JONAS!_

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_MACY'S POV_

It came to me that the Lucas boys may still have a shred of hope left. Hope that everything will be ok and hope that this was all a dream. I really didn't want to be the one to tear that hope down and burn it into oblivion, but they needed to see the world they now lived in. I stood from the cold and newly laid grass from where I was kneeling and rested my hand on top on a simple headstone.

"I'm sorry it came to this." I told the inhabitant who lay peaceful in death, right under my feet. "I never meant for you or your family to get dragged into this Nick." I felt a hand on my shoulder, the person behind me telling me it was time to go. After all, a meeting with Stella, though I despise the idea, will show the Lucas boys what chaos they have fallen into.

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_FRANKIE'S POV_

_ I knew Joe was hurting, I could see it in his eyes. But he was hiding it. I knew he wanted to be the strong support Kevin and I needed, but he had lost a brother too. He shouldn't be strong about that. Now that I think about it, him and Nick were always the closest out of all of us. He needed to know it was ok to break down and cry. We all knew the pain from it. We all felt the price of his deed. But I was standing here today because of it. _

_But was he really dead? They took him away before we saw a thing and we only had the word of the lying, conceited Head, who had tortured us for years. How did we know that she wasn't lying and that Nick was locked away in the rooms with the windows overlooking the hallway of cages? How did we know if he was really dead? I knew the chance of him being alive was slim, but there was still a chance and I wasn't ready to give up on my brother. But I don't think I should tell Kevin or Joe my theory either. I don't want to give them false hope. _

_After the rule briefing, basically a curfew and no going outside without a high up worker person, Joe led us inside. The building itself, despite having a rather medieval style rock wall surrounding it, was only a few stories tall and it looked like it was made entirely for glass. The inside was very modern and stylish, which told me the décor was changed often to fit the current trend. Typical Stella. As soon as we were alone and walking up a flight of stairs, Joe grabbed my hand and put his arm around Kevin's shoulder. I could feel he was shaking, but not with nerves. _

"Here we are." _He whispered, opening the door to the third floor and leading us done a carpeted hallway. It reminded me of a hotel, but more cooler. Joe stopped at a door that had a silver plaque with our last name on it and opened the door, using what looked like a finger print scanner. _"You guys are rooming with me. I had to _beg _Stella for this." _He looked at us, like he was expecting us to complain, but no. This was perfect. I didn't want to be alone after what I've been through and I knew Kevin was the same. _

_We walked in and it looked like an apartment, three bedrooms, one currently messed up by Joe, one small kitchen, a bathroom in every room, and right as we walked in, was a couch and a TV. By some unspoken consent, we all walked over and sat on the couch, and I let Joe pull me over and hold me in his lap. He needed the comfort more than I did. _

"It feels so…empty…" _Joe whispered after a moment of silence, nothing but the hum of the air conditioner in our ears. _"I can't believe our brother is gone…" _He whispered starring blankly at the wall ahead, though his grip on me became tighter, like he was afraid I too would just vanish. _"Three of us is just…wrong."

_Kevin shifted and hugged Joe tightly, Joe resting his head on our oldest brother's shoulder. But he was right. Three of us…doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel whole. We need Nick. But something told me, we were never going to get him back. After all…there is no coming back from the dead. I buried myself in Joe's embrace, trying to believe that Nick was alive, that my theory was correct, but I had no evidence. I saw the knife in Nick's stomach. I saw his blood. I saw him convulse and I heard him hiss and choke. And I saw him being taken away before we could say goodbye. _

"I miss him." _I whispered, but those words had no comparison to the ache that was deeply embedded in my heart. _"He didn't deserve to die."

"No Tank, he didn't." _Kevin whispered, one of his hands resting on my arm. _"None of them did."

"If only we had been just _hours _sooner…" _Joe whispered and Kevin pursed his lips, smacking Joe lightly on the head. _

"It wasn't your fault." _We both told him and he nodded, but he didn't show us his face. _

"Joey?" _I called and he nodded, showing me he was listening. _"He was our brother…its ok to cry…no one should have to be strong at a time like this." _Joe looked down at me, tears swimming in his eyes and one finally fell. _

"I'm sorry…" _He whispered, breaking down, head going back onto Kevin's shoulder. He was sorry…but not about being too late for Nick. But about losing Nick and what we've been through. And it wasn't his place to be sorry. But for now, it was best to let him be. _"H-he just c-can't be gone!" _Joe yelled and I felt a drop of wetness on my arm. Kevin must be crying too. _"H-he had s-so m-much to live for…h-he was t-too young!" _Joe cried and Kevin didn't respond and neither did I. We were both thinking the same thing and we both felt the heart shattering loneliness and guilt. We could have stopped this somehow. We should have done more to save him. _"He was our brother…and we failed him."

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_STELLA'S POV_

Joe, Kevin and Frankie must be mourning over their brother. What a waste of time. From what I gathered, Nick willingly gave himself up to save Frankie, so he must have known what Macy would do. He must have known he would have bee killed. So move on already. It's really pathetic. I fixed my hair, wanting to look my best to outshine my _ex_-best friend as my secretary told me she was outside.

"Stella." She stiffly greeted, walking al over my carpet in her hideous combat boots.

"Macy." I returned, just as cold. "What do you want?"

"Joe and Kevin. I want to show them something and them you can have them right back, not a hair harmed on their head." She told me, smirking as she saw my pants. "Frankie doesn't need to see this. Only Joe and Kevin."

I eyed her up and down, not finding a lie in her too large eyes. "What must they see?"

She sighed and looked to her feet. "For closure reasons…I want to show them Nick's grave. He always hated the idea of cremation so I made an exception for him and buried him. I think Joe and Kevin will appreciate that. He is buried next to his parents." I slowly nodded and gave her my permission.

"But if I find so much as a scratch on my perfect boys, you will pay Misa." I glared and she smirked again as I stood.

"Fine by me." She turned to walk out the door but she stopped by the door frame. "Those pants went out of style _weeks _ago. I should know, I have a pair." Even though my doors closed, I knew she was laughing at my scream.

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_MACY'S POV_

_ My secretary set a time for me to take the brothers with Stella's secretary and I had one day and five hours to kill. So right now I was currently locked in a game of chess with my advisor. I was desperately trying to beat him, but I really had no hope. Which is why he was my advisor. _

"Checkmate." _He laughed and I stood up, throwing my hands in the air. I walked to the window that led to the hall that used to be lined with cages and I smiled at all the family members finally reuniting. Well, the ones we kept in high security lock down, I mean. _'"It was a good thing you changed. If not, they would be on _her _side in an instant." _He told me and I nodded, glancing at his reflection in my window. I didn't need to worry about the people below seeing us; that was the beauty of a two way mirror. _

"Do you think I am doing the right thing? Do you think I can really stop her?" _I wondered, needing the answer no one could answer with accuracy. But he sighed behind me, still sitting in front of the finished chess game. _

"It will be a rough road Ms. Misa. But I don't have a doubt in my mind that you will finish this race in first." _I smiled at him and I saw him smile back in the reflection. But I still felt so bad about everything I had to put these people through. They understood and they hated me for it, as they should, but it still wasn't right. _"Feeling this guilt is proof you are still human. Stella only feels greed."

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**Chibiyu: **_Another short chapter because I am going to London for a week (on Monday) and I didn't want to leave you all without updates! Until Next Update!_


	11. Friendship?

**Chibiyu: **_Ugh…why am I so tired?_

**Nick: **_…Why are you asking me?_

**Chibiyu: **_Because you are three points shy of a genius and should know. _

**Nick: **_Well I don't. Please don't kill me for it…wait…never mind, I'm already dead. _

_DON'T OWN JONAS ()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

**"It will be a rough road Ms. Misa. But I don't have a doubt in my mind that you will finish this race in first." _I smiled at him and I saw him smile back in the reflection. But I still felt so bad about everything I had to put these people through. They understood and they hated me for it, as they should, but it still wasn't right. _"Feeling this guilt is proof you are still human. Stella only feels greed."**

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_KEVIN'S POV_

_ "He was our brother…and we failed him."_

Joe's words cut right through my heart as I realized that he was right. We should have done more. We should have-

"No." We both jumped and looked down to our youngest brother, who was now standing in front of us,, his arms crossed and glare on his face. It looked so out of place, but than I had to remind myself that Frankie is more mature than he should be now. "We did fail him. _You didn't fail him. _We could have _done nothing. _Or would you _rather be in his place?_" Frankie demanded, his voice quiet but the coldness instantly attracting our attention.

He sighed and looked to his feet, his voice losing its edge. "Nick knew the risks. He knew that death was an option. But he still took it. He died saving me. And Kevin, you wouldn't know this, but while you were in the back room, screaming, and Nick and I were sitting together, I heard him whisper something. Do you know what it was?" I shook my head and Joe looked between us, confused, but at the same time, he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"He whispered something, very quietly that I almost didn't catch it." I watched my little brother pause and take a deep breath. "He said, and I quote: "I'd rather die in their place then have to hear this again. To have Frankie here this again." Frankie whispered, looking back up to us. "He thought I didn't hear him. But I did."

I suddenly jumped, Joe looking rather startled. "I remember that day! That was the day Nick first started taking our punishments! The first time he got hurt." Frankie nodded sitting between us again. "He told you that Joe would have done the same thing, and we al know you would have," Frankie added as Joe opened his mouth to confirm it. "But it was more than that. He wanted…"

"You to retain your innocence." Joe finished and Frankie nodded, not looking at either of us.

"He saved me long before he died. He had to have known what would come. Dying for us…it couldn't have come as a surprise to him." Why was Frankie so composed? He lost a brother too but if you looked at him, you wouldn't be able to tell.

"Hey Frankie?" He looked up to me and nodded. "Why are you so calm? You were the one just telling Joe that it's ok to let it out." Frankie blinked and slowly nodded.

"I know…but I am not ready to give up hope." He whispered and Joe looked completely lost. "They took Nick away before we actually saw him…you know. And we only have the word of our captor that he is dead…I'm just no ready to give up hope." He whispered and Joe nodded, light coming back to his eyes.

"So he could still be alive?"

I shrugged. "Maybe…but you didn't see him Joe. It was bad…" I dropped my gaze, hating that I had to bring down my younger brothers hopes. But Frankie's face didn't drop like I expected it too. Instead, it hardened into defiance.

"I _won't _give up hope until I am sure. Even if I see a grave I won't believe it. The Head is deceiving and will do anything to make us lose hope." Joe and I starred at Frankie in amazement as he stood up and walked out of the room, acting more like Nick than he knew. But he was only setting himself up from a broken heart. And I think he knew that too.

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STELLA'S POV

Macy was right about my pants! I feel so filthy and so dirty! I let my perfect nature slide! But it was all fixed now. My skirt was currently _the _most fashionable thing right now and I was watching the pants burn.

Back to Macy. Why would she want my precious boys? Why would she want to bother to show them their dead brother's grave? It's not like it matters. More will be dead by the time I am through. They can't mourn over them al so why start now? I don't care if it _is _Nick, he is gone now so let bygones be bygones.

They were babies for crying.

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**Journal Entry Fourteen**

_ My brothers asked me why I wasn't so cut up about Nick dying. But I don't think he is dead. The Head deceives and hurts and she took Nick from us before we saw the light leave his eyes, heard his last breath, or felt his heart stop with our own fingers. She could even show me a grave but she would have to prove to me that it wasn't empty. I don't trust her. Especially when it comes to my brother's life. Nick can't be dead. He wouldn't leave us, even if death was literally knocking on his door. He wouldn't give in. He would fight. He would fight to stay with us. He just wouldn't die! And I know what you are thinking. Sometimes people don't have a choice. Sometimes, even though they are strong and they fight it, death will claim them. But not Nick. We wouldn't have felt something. We are so close that it just can't go unnoticed. Besides, it feels wrong, like a lie, to write or to say that Nick is dead. _

_He can't be…_

_And I am only setting myself up for heart break. But I don't care. I need Nick to be alive. We all do. _

_Joe took the news pretty badly. He tried to hide it, but there was no masking the shattering of his soul behind his eyes when he heard the news. And there was no hiding the hope when I told him my theory. But Kevin brought his hopes down quickly. I can't give up on Nick so easily. I won't. I refuse too, just as he would have refused to die. I know I seemed so set on the fact that he was dead before, but that was just heart ache talking through the pain. Now I can think again. Now I can hope again. _

_We are safe and guess what, the Chief here, it's Stella! The blond girl in the picture! Can you believe it? Circles within circles. It makes me wonder…is the Head Macy? No…Macy couldn't commit such terrible deeds. Unless she really believed in what she was doing…_

_I will think about that later, when I can confirm if Nick is ok or not. _

_What else should I tell you reader? For once, I am at loss for words…everything here is so calm on the surface. But there is definitely turmoil just below. I can feel it. Joe tries to hide it from us, but Kevin and I can see through that façade easily. After all, we spent the last three years in cages, figuring out how to survive and who to trust. Needless to say, we got pretty good at reading people. _

_I am rambling, trying to fill space and take up time. Trying to heal with the help of ink and paper. Trying to be strong. But I am fourteen. I can't do a lot, even though I would never admit it. I can't carry the weight of the world on my shoulders for much longer. But I fear that I will have too…until I find out the truth about my 'dead' brother. _

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_MACY'S POV_

_ I paced the room, my advisor sitting comfortably in the chair, his eyes never leaving my form as he watched me think. But I didn't know the next step. I didn't know what Stella would do and for now, I don't even know what to do. And it's giving me a headache. _

"Think back to the beginning." _He suggested, seeing my frustration as I kicked a chair. _"It always worked with me." _I nodded and sighed, sitting across from him, knowing saying it aloud was better than thinking it. _

"Stella and I met and became instant friends, but we both knew something was wrong with each other. Something was wrong with our friendship. But we were too naïve too see that we were too opposite in everything to be anything but enemies."

**FLASHBACK!**

** -_One more step and you are in…Oh why does moving school have to be so hard? _**

**_No! You are Macy Misa and Macy Misa doesn't get scared by new classes! Now march in and show those kids who isn't afraid!_**

**_I stepped in and my confidence shattered. There were no completely empty desks. I hadn't counted on that. _**

**"You can sit here." _A friendly voice called and I smiled, walking over to the cute looking blonde. _"I'm Stella."**

**"Macy." _I told her and she smiled back. _**

**_I didn't know why, but Stella and I just clicked, like we were meant to be best friends. But there seemed to be something wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was like something was missing. But what?_**

**_END_**

"The thing that was missing…what was it?" _My advisor asked and I looked at him, noting how is brown eyes twinkled in curiosity. So it was real interest. _

"I still don't know. Something still seems to be missing from out relationship. Even as mortal enemies. It's like we were never supposed to meet." _I answered and he nodded. _

"Like you were never supposed to be friends?" _He asked and it was my turn to nod. _

_It was like that day should have never happened. It was like that day, our friendship, was the thing that doomed us all. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Ugh, I have a major inspiration block for this story. Ok, I dare even call it writer's block. Yuck. :/ Until Next Update!_


	12. Time is Changing

**Chibiyu: **_This story is finally getting somewhere this chapter. And it is playing out like a movie with a lot of POV changes in my head, so I will try and make it more understandable. Oh and Nick isn't here because he is dead. :~)_

**DON'T OWN JONAS OR LADY GAGA! (I am so glad for that fact…Lady Gaga scares me)-no mwntion of LG in this but it is kinda an inside joke that my friend made me add in. :~)**

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**_It was like that day should have never happened. It was like that day, our friendship, was the thing that doomed us all. _**

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_MACY'S POV_

_It was like that day wasn't supposed to happen. I watched those words run across my advisor eyes and he smiled slowly, tapping his fingers against the table in thought. _

"If Stella can destroy all humans on this world except for the ones in her building, by just a simple push of a button…why can't we turn back time?"_I whirled around, my hat falling off in the process. It was crazy. It was impossible. And it was genius. _"After all," _He whispered, his eyes sparkling mischievously, _"When as Macy Misa backed down form a challenge?"

_I smiled and turned to face the crazy genius, feeling his mischievous look form on my face. _"Never." _I stated, picking up my hat. _"And she _never _will."

_I strolled down the hall and threw open my office door, knowing he was only feet behind me. I also knew his magnificent brain was working on a plan already, one other than this one in case of failure. And failure was obvious. I mean, how many times has anyone turned back time?_

"You wouldn't know if time was reversed. Only the people who had the power to do so would know." _I heard him voice behind me as he again read my face in the multiple mirrors lining my hall. _"But who are we to alter the time line?"

"And who is Stella to destroy mankind?"

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_ADVISOR'S POV_

_I couldn't help but smirk as Macy's words. She always had had such a fire in her heart when it came to protecting her friends. Which is why it killed her to follow my suggestion of killing and trapping people in here. But she did not see how needed it was. Stella needed to wake up and smell the roses. Before Macy did this, she only laughed when her friend opposed her, and now, she was considered a threat. In my eyes, that was good. It left the two girls to fight each other and it left me in the perfect position to follow through on my own plan. Poor Macy was too blind to think I would turn on her. She had no idea that she was my pawn, not the other way around. She did my dirty work and in the end, I would stab her in the back. Just as she did to family. Just as she did to me. _

_She was blind. _

_She would pay. _

_Oh, would she pay. _

"Ms. Misa, what are you orders?" _I had to stop myself from cringing at those words. I hated how they tasted on my tongue. I should be giving the orders, not waiting for them. _

"I will be busy overseeing the new plan. Take Joe and Kevin to see the grave." _She told me, her commanding voice failing on intimidating me. But I had to do as asked, not matter how dangerous. _"But don't let them see your face."

"Oh course, Ms. Misa. Very good Miss." _Oh I hated this part of my plan. I hated acting like she owned me. But in a few days, I would own her. I would own the entire population who ever stabbed my family in the back. But she would feel it most. She will rue the day that she killed them. And I would only laugh at her demise. _

_She wanted to take back the day her and Stella met. I wanted to go back to the day I met her so I could wrap my fingers around her pale and long neck, and cherish in the feeling of it breaking right under my fingers. Because if Macy Misa lived, nothing would stop everything from happening all over again. It was destiny that Macy and Stella met. Destiny that made this happen. So if I took one element out of the equation, Destiny would change the future. And I would be a murderer. And a hero. I would be locked up forever but I don't care. As long as I save them from death, than it will be worth it. _

_But I am smart enough to not get myself locked up. I am smart enough to escape from jail or even make Macy's death look like a suicide. Oh yes, I am smart enough indeed. So smart, that nothing can stop me. Not Macy. Not Stella. Not the Lucas Brothers. No one. I will win. Macy Misa will lose. _

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_JOE'S POV_

I stood from the couch, leaving Frankie to write in his journal and for Kevin to stare at the blank television screen with pain inscribed on his normally joyful features. And I couldn't help but feel the same way. Nick was gone. Well, he was _probably _gone. I needed proof. A body. A grave. Anything. I needed to know the truth. I needed to ask Stella to get that evidence for us. But just as I reached the door, a knock came through. I looked over my shoulder, confused and Kevin shrugged, Frankie looked up and closed his journal. No one ever comes to visit me. So who?

I opened the door and instantly grabbed Stella's hand and kissed it in greeting. She nodded and looked over to my brothers.

"Kevin, Joe, you are going with Mr. Doe. John Doe, the Head's advisor, for the afternoon. I have been promised by the Head herself that you will not be harmed and I have security on you every step of the way. That is all." She turned to leave but Kevin called out to her, making a huge mistake.

"Wait, why are we going?" Stella stiffened at the question, hating it when people spoke to her when they weren't in high of rank, like me.

"To your brother's grave. For some stupid closure reasons." Everything seemed to stop as Stella walked away. Nick's grave…so he was…

I wanted to collapse, I wanted to scream and yell and cry and run to the Head and rip out her throat for taking Nick from us. I wanted to curse at the wind and I wanted to break every single mirror and scream until I passed out from the lack of oxygen. I wanted to curl up on the couch and feel Kevin's arms and around em and hold Frankie close as I mourned for my baby brother. I wanted to see him again. But I can't do those things. Not right now. Because the Head's Advisor just made his appearance.

He stepped into the door frame, wearing a stylish but dated black suit and a mask on his face. I looked him up and down, glimpsing a large faced silver watch on his wrist and a soft but uncaring look in his eye. He didn't say anything as he gestured for us to come with him. We all stood up but he shook his head furiously.

"Only you two." He whispered, his voice gruff but sounding slightly familiar. "The kid stays." I was about to protest but he pushed back his suit jacket, revealing a loaded gun. I nodded and grabbed Kevin's wrist, but knelt down in front of Frankie.

"You will be safe here Tank, but don't leave this room. Understand?" Frankie nodded, hearing the sternness in my voice and for once, choosing not to question it. I stood as walked out of the door, locking the room behind me. Frankie would be fine if he stayed inside and didn't break the rules. He was sensible, so I knew I didn't have to worry, but I didn't want to lose another brother. I looked back to the advisor and saw him watching me with chocolate brown his, his straight light brown hair covering the eye holes of his mask. I shivered from the intensity of the gaze but he made no comment. He moved on and soon we were piling into a black SUV, him sitting in the passenger side, nodding to the driver when we were secure.

"Put them on." He ordered, throwing back blindfolds.

"Why?" Kevin asked, finally finding his tongue and courage. "If you are going to kill us, at least let us see it."

The advisor laughed briefly shaking his head. "No, I will let you live, for today. The blind folds are the Chief's idea and we have to abide to her wishes." He sounded so disgusted at the last part. So if he hated following Stella's orders, how was following the Head's any different? I looked to Kevin and bit my lip, still unsure. "Or if you don't, you can die today and watch it happen." We both watched the advisor turn and shrug, fingering his gun at his waistband. "But you wouldn't leave Frankie all alone now, would you?"

I reached up and tied the blindfold over my eyes and I knew Kevin was doing the same. I hated this guy. I hated the Head.

"Why did you kill our brother?" I asked, not being told I couldn't speak and I heard him sigh.

"It pained the Head to do so, trust me, but he was a threat. And he was taken off of your _dear _Stella's list, so we didn't need him anymore."

"Stella took him off of the perfect list?" Kevin gasped and we heard him chuckle, but it was dark and lacked humor.

"She remembered he had diabetes."That shocked us into silence. "Shame isn't it? That she realized not everyone who she thought was perfect turned out to be? Who knows who will be next? After all, she will find out sooner or later that no one is perfect, not even herself."

I did not like the laughing tone this guy had. I did not like how he threatened us so easily or how he didn't even seem to care. And I especially didn't like the fact that I felt like I knew him.

"But none of it will matter. Because soon, tomorrow will never come. Soon, yesterday will be today and time itself will unravel until there is nothing but the past. Soon…oh very soon…this will all be a forgotten future." I didn't like that this guys was insane. "We are here."

I reached up and took off my blindfolds and looked out the window. It was a cemetery. The one mom and dad were buried in. I got out of the car and instantly fell back until I was right by Kevin's side. The Advisor led us to our parent's graves and Kevin leaned in for a closer look, and paled. He'd never been here before. This was his first time.

"Behold the Lucas family plot." He gestured, standing a few feet away from the headstones. "Sandy Lucas," He patted the middle grave, "Tom Lucas," He brushed his finger across the far right one, "and…Nicholas Lucas." He whispered something in his voice I couldn't identify. "I truly am sorry." He was lying through his teeth.

Kevin walked over and sat in front of mom's grave, giving him a good view of all of our deceased loved ones. "I'm sorry Mom and Dad…" He whispered, bowing his head, his shoulders shaking. The advisor stiffened and looked to Kevin, his eyes unreadable. "I am sorry that I couldn't protect Nick."

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**Chibiyu: **_And this is where the inspiration ends. *sigh* Until Next Update!_

_Sorry no time for proof reading…and no brain cells. I am so tired!_


	13. Nothing but Time

**Chibiyu: **_Ash, you lost me. And you are about 2% right out of all of that. Haha, if I did all that, I wouldn't make it obvious. :~)_

**Nick: **_*is still dead*_

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**Kevin walked over and sat in front of mom's grave, giving him a good view of all of our deceased loved ones. "I'm sorry Mom and Dad…" He whispered, bowing his head, his shoulders shaking. The advisor stiffened and looked to Kevin, his eyes unreadable. "I am sorry that I couldn't protect Nick."**

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_ADVISOR'S POV_

_I starred at the two brothers, sighing rather sadly as I watched their tears. Nothing but time can raise the dead but nothing, I repeat, nothing can erase the memory of it. Especially when the person ordered to watch the poor youth die was the one who would be turning back time. I looked over to the other headstones, their names floating out at me, nameless, not worth the space in my memory. They were far too dead to be helped by me. I can do nothing for them. I only wish I had been allowed to do something when I watched Nick die from blood loss. I wish I could have stopped Ms. Misa from killing all of the others and imprisoning the rest. But I was powerless then. But now…now I have more power than she could ever imagine. Now I can beat her. _

"How?" _I looked back over and regarded Kevin, fixing my hat so it covered my eyes better. The chance of him recognizing me was slim but I can't risk it. _

_I walked over to them and stared at Nick's name, blinking back the memories. _"The knife wound was deep and the one I answer to thought it was a lost cause to save him. I watched him die. I tried to help him but I found a gun to my head before I took my second step." _I turned to Joe, his gaze coming to mine and he met my eyes, me lifting y hat ever so slightly. _"I _never _wanted _anyone _to die."

_Joe studied my eyes for a moment before looking away, his eyes going to the ground and his fingers digging into the soil. _"I don't believe you. You and your boss are murderers." _He spat at me and I closed my eyes for a second, that insult cutting to my heart butt I didn't let it show. _

"Oh on the contrary, _I _never killed and I don't see myself killing anyone in the future. Te others are the ones who kill. In fact, we are almost as bad, if not worse, than Stella." _Joe's head shot up as I used his beloved Chief's name. His mouth opened and I rolled my eyes. _"Of course I know that Stella is the Chief. Unlike her, our company has brains." _I left it at that, letting them interpret it as they will. Surprisingly they did not offer a response immediately, but Kevin did have one, once he found his tongue. _

"If you guys are so smart, why did you kill so many?"

"I never said the Head was smart." _I smirked and looked across the barren land filled by a sea of old and forgotten headstones. Only a few were dotted and colored with flowers, but not nearly enough. I guess memories of death are too painful to have loved ones visit the final resting place. I know of this pain as well. And I know of the cowardice. Of the protection of my family. I never saw his grave. And if all goes well, I will never see his grave. _

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**Journey Entry Fifteen**

_Reader, you won't even be able to fathom the amount of confusion and pain that is obscuring my world in shadows. So I won't even try to write my feelings down on this paper. My brothers were taken to see Nick's grave. Is it possible that the grave is empty? Is it possible that my heart break is false? I loved Nick. He was my brother. I won't believe he is gone. I can't. _

_Once Joe and Kevin get back, I am going to talk to them. I am going to make Joe open up and I am going to make Kevin understand that I don't need to be protected as much as he thinks I do. I've been through Hell, just like he has and I don't need another person going MIA for my protection. I don't need him to be taken form me too. _

_I should have warned you reader that this journal entry is going to be all over the place. My writings portray my thoughts and right now, they are as unclear as the point to this entry. I don't know what to do and I barely know what to feel. All of this…its just pure insanity my dear reader. If anyone ever has a chance to prevent something like this from recurring, I hope that this journal can help them. That is, if I can make sure this journal is read. But I am not sure if I trust anyone other than myself to read what my hand has wrought. Not yet at least. _

_I wonder if anything will ever be able to distract me from this pain. If anything will ever rid me of it. And as I write I already know the answer. Nothing will. Nothing but death. And I am not ready for death. So I know I am not ready to end my suffering. But am I ready for my family to smile again. I am ready to smile again. It's been too long since we laughed. Too long since a sincere smile light up our face. Too long since life as returned to our eyes. I miss the sound of laughter. I miss seeing a smile. And I fear that I will always miss those things. I fear that nothing will give us a reason to smile again. I fear we are truly dead inside. _

_I hear footsteps outside the room and I hear Joe's voice. I have to go reader. Wait for my next entry. I promise that this will not be my last. But I can't promise that there will be many more. I feel something is coming reader. Something dark. Something powerful. Something bad. _

_And I fear that I won't survive for much longer. Call it paranoia, or whatever you'd like, but this is real. I know it's real. _

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_STELLA'S POV_

I paced my office, having already bossed around everyone that I could today and I growled as the doors slammed opened as the person not even having manners to knock. I looked over, almost tripping in my electric blue elevator shoes and my face formed into a sneered when I saw who it was.

"How dare you come back here." I hissed and my enemy's advisor merely tipped his hat in a mocking gesture.

"I thought you would like to know that Joe and Kevin survived and are back with their little brother as we speak. But I guess their lives mean nothing to you." He turned and left. I did not bothering to call him back. He pulled the double doors closed, some of the gold flaking on the designs falling off from the sheer force of the slam.

"YOU WON'T BEAT ME!" I shouted knowing the villain would have heard me. "TELL THAT BITCH THAT SHE HAS NO HOPE!"

"We have more hope than you know Ms. Malone." My fingers clenched into fists as his voice was heard through my door. "Trust me when I say you have know hope of winning this." And then he was gone. He left me to charge to my desk, fuming as I turned on my computer and connected into the security camera feed. I watched the creation of my weapon, sighing in relief when I saw how far along it was. I had hope. I had more hope than all of Misa and her advisor had combined. They cannot stop me. They will be dead with a press of a button. A button, I might add, that my finger was loving caressing.

Yes. I have no doubt. I will win this.

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_FRANKIE'S POV_

_I stood as my brothers walked into the room. By the looks on their faces, I knew they thought Nick dead. I knew I should think Nick was dead but I don't think I can handle that yet. But will this denial kill me more than the acceptance will? _

"You saw it, didn't you?" _I knew I didn't need to ask but I needed them to say it. _

"We did. I'm sorry Tank." _I bowed my head and leaned into Kevin's embrace before I abruptly pulled away and grabbed Joe's hand. I pulled him t the couch and plopped him down, knowing Kevin would follow. _

"We need to talk." _I looked into both of their eyes and saw their pain. This was the best time to do this; when the pain was raw. _"Nick is gone but that doesn't mean we need to be like this. We can't let sadness control our lives. If we do, the Head will have won."

"Tank…" _I looked at Joe and he stopped talking. _

"Don't you dare say you are alright Joe. An idiot wouldn't believe that. We all are hurting but if we keep it locked away then the pain will never lessen."

_Kevin looked sadly at me. _"I hate how grown up you are."

_I looked away from them and nodded. _"It's hard not to grow more mature after all that's happened." _Silence met my statement and I felt someone's hand-Joe's-on my shoulder. _

"You're right Tank." _I looked up to Joe, rather proud that he surrendered without a fight. But I saw his eyes and realized that he had no more fight left in him. _"I just thought…actually, I wasn't thinking. It was just easier to try and ignore everything instead of facing it." _He paused and grabbed onto Kevin with his other hand. I saw Joe's broken face reflected in Kevin's sorrow-filled eyes. _"Nick is gone and he's never coming back. We lost him Kev. He's dead."

_And was all it took. Tears fell down Kevin's face and I saw the way Joe's shoulders shook so I knew he was too. I wanted to cry. I wanted it so badly but the tears didn't come. So I just leaned against Joe, comforting and drawing comfort. Maybe I couldn't cry because I still believed that Nick wasn't gone. Or maybe I just had no tears left in me. Maybe I was dead inside. Maybe it was too late to save me. _

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_MACY'S POV_

_I was watching my advisor, feeling nothing but joy as he led the operation. Time travel-a concept no one seemed to think was in our grasp. But 'no one' didn't know us. They didn't know that we can do the impossible. I walked over to my advisor and grabbed his arm, smiling up at him as I watched the engineering (hell the feat of the world) feat get drawn out in front of me. My advisor watched the pencil like a hawk, clearing his throat and pointing to a math problem. _

"That should be a 'one' not a 3." _The scientist looked down at it and looked stumped. But after a total of twenty seconds he nodded and changed it. He thanked my advisor, who said nothing. _

"Are you alright?" _He looked away from me as I asked me and took my arm off his. But I didn't get angry with him. _

"You shouldn't have killed that boy." _I watched him walk away, my heart sinking slightly before I held my head high and forced down the pain._ _I should have known he would have opened these old scars. Did he think that I wasn't hurt by this? I loved Nick. I loved him with all of my heart. But then everything changed. I had to end it with him for his safety. And better he be dead by my hand then caught in Stella's poisoned maw. Or at least, better dead physically than mentally and emotionally. _

_I turned away and all but ran to my office and locked the door behind me. I slid down the metal door and covered my face with my hands, not bothering to stop the onslaught of hot tears. I was hurting. I had been hurting for a long time now. Anyone who thought that I liked doing this, that I liked being this evil, didn't know me at all. I hated this. Hated imprisoning everyone I once loved and the innocent. I hated killing. But I had too. Stella gave me no choice. If I had a choice, I wouldn't be caught up in this war. If I had a choice then maybe I could have ended my relationship with Stella when I had the chance. Maybe it wouldn't have accounted to this. _

_Maybe Nick would still be alive. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Well this took more out of me than I expected. But I feel my writers block fading slowly. Yay! Until Next Update! _

_Please vote in my poll. _


	14. A New Plot

**Chibiyu: **_Wow it's been forever. So here's an update for you all!_

**Nick: **_Well I'm kind of of dead so who else will you torture? _

**Chibiyu: **_I have my plans. _

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**_Maybe Nick would still be alive. _**

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_Advisor's PoV_

_ I am utterly surprised that the floor did not have a dent in it from my obsessive pacing. I kept glancing at the scientists work and correctly menial mistakes, my eyes never wandering from the machine that could stop all of this. When this worked, all of the unjust deaths from both sides would be correct, humans would no longer be herded by animals, and this stupid war will be over as it would have never started. _

"Sir?" _I turned my covered eyes to the head scientist and snatched the clip board from his hands, solving the pointed to problem without any hesitation. I would be faster at building this than any and all of these idiots put together. I shoved the clip board back into his chest. _

"Status?" _I coldly asked, walking over to the material table and examining the scrap metal and various other attributes. _

"The mathematics are finished, 20% faster than predicted. We move on to the blue print stage tonight." _This fool was scared of me. That revelation had a smile curving on my lips. _

"Good. Get me before you start: I want to oversee every bit of this project. There are no rooms for errors." _I turned and fixed my navy blue cap so it better covered my eyes and walked from the warehouse room with every intention of being alone. _

"Advisor!" _I stiffened and turned to see Misa walked over to me. _"How's the project going?"

"Soon we will be able to reverse all of the mistakes." _Yours and Stella's. I started walking again, ignoring her confused look. _"Now, if you permit it, I would like to have moment alone."

"Permitted." _She responded coolly before walking into the warehouse room that I had just vacated. _"This idea really was genius."

"I know." _So much for a modest approach at this but I am guessing time for modesty has passed when the need for action moved in. _"And Stella's machine is almost finished. We don't have that big of a time margin."

"Of course. DO you think we will make it?"

"Barely."

_I wasn't very good at reassuring anyone and I didn't need to be: false hope would only promote slower work and slower work meant a faster approaching death. I pushed open the metal double doors and breathed in the fresh air. With everyone inside the old Paper Factory, the air was stale and it stunk, pretty badly too. My venture outside was not for a fresh breath of air though, but for something I've been doing for the passed few days. _

_I stepped into the patch of grass behind the building, hidden by a shadow during this part of the day. I walked among the tall standing stones, unable to not feel the wretch of gilt, anger and disgust from all the death that surrounded me. Unnamed souls rested beneath my feet and the names ones haunted my dreams. They didn't need to die. Rebellion was only naturals and death should never have been the punishment for these poor spirits reacting in the most human way. Their actions of anger, fear and protection never even came close to this dire punishment. I had to make this right, I would make this right. _

_It was my destiny to make sure that tomorrow will never come. _

"I swear it to all of you." _I whispered to the restless dead, my hand coming to the top of the only stone who ever had visitors. _"You'll be with your brothers again soon." _I turned to the other ears that weren't listening. _"You all will be reunited with your family. I promise it."

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_Stella's PoV_

_ I stumbled into the glass covered courtyard, my heels getting caught on the grass once more before I stopped walking and admired the construction of the most beautiful and deadly creation. I liked to say it was second, only to me. I looked around happy that I was alone so I shed the six inch heels and ran across the cool strands of green until I was standing inches away from the fist sized bomb. Such a little thing, who ever would have thought it would have the power to destroy the entire earth that wasn't shielded by my perfect…shield things. _

_I ran my fingers over the smooth glass container that held my precious weapon. Macy had no way to stop me. Once the final calculations by my team of elite mathematicians were uploaded and complete, Ka-boom. The world would soon be mine. I would be able to get rid of everything that terrorized peace, like Misa and her trouble makers. Everything would be beautiful and green and peaceful. Once the final math was done, the bomb would only destroy human life forms and it was imperative that the problems were done correctly. It's a pity I don't have Nicholas's brain to help and Franklin has the IQ but he is too young to understand any of these complicated equations. _

_But it doesn't matter. I am positive that everything will work out. After all, it's not like Misa and her team has the technology to turn back time and stop this before it began. That is just absurd. And impossible._

"Looks like I finally get to beat you, Misa." _My finger pulled away form the smooth glass and I admired the simple steel ball once more before slipping my heels back on and stumbling back inside. _"You've lost your friends, your old love, and soon to be your life. You have nothing, and I," _I paused; looking t the various windows overlooking those who I chose to save. A couple was seen lifting their baby lovingly, a girl was painting on her balcony and Frankie was watching from his balcony writing in some sort of journal. _

"Stella." _I looked to the tiny Lucas boy and waved sweetly. _"Those heels seem too tall for you." _I forced a smile on my face and nodded. _

"They are but fashion is fashion." _And fashion is a weapon as well. I waved to him again before walking back inside the perfectly coordinated white and beige hallway. I knew the little boy was watching me and writing down whatever insane theory his young mind was coming up with. It was probably corrupted with aliens and zombies and what not. But if I wanted Joe and Kevin to be happy, most of their brothers needed to be alive so that meant keeping Frankie. And besides, he shows promise. In time, I will be able to use everyone in this building to create the most perfect society. _

_I am so totally winning. _

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**_Journal Entry Sixteen_**

****_I've had enough of sitting and wallowing for the death of Nick. Call it heartless or whatever you wish, but I am done crying. The time for tears left when the need for revenge entered my heart. But I wasn't mad at the Head. No. Stella started this; I see it in her eyes whenever she walks into a room: that winning glare. She wants people to die – how else well her own world be created? Even if the Head didn't kill Nick, Stella probably would have. She never really did like Nick in the first place: she only hung out with him because of Joe and she used him to help with the homework. Childs play, that's what it was. Even Nick saw through her but for his respect towards his brother, they both forged a mutual understand and fake friendship. No one was any wiser. But Nick told me once I started asking him questions. He wasn't the only genius in the family and he was quite happy to share the spotlight secret with his little brother. _

_Oh look reader, there is Stella now, waltzing out like she owns the world. And touching that sculpture…wait. That must be her weapon. A bomb. Of course Stella would go for the little, cute and deadly thing. She probably thought it was second only to her. But if that as the bomb and if it wasn't finished yet then maybe someone (aka me) would be able to fix it so it didn't explode. That would solve something. _

_But how can I get close enough and how would I ever be able to understand any of the math or science? I don't have enough time to learn any of this. So perhaps corruption of science was in order. Good thing I'm a LITTLE brother – corruption, revenge, spying and causing mayhem was what I did. I hope Stella knew what she signed up for when she brought me here._

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**Chibiyu: **_I didn't have a lot of time so it called for a shorter chapter. I am getting back into the groove of this story though (finally) so I can probably soon say that it will be off Hiatus soon. Did I say 'soon' too many times? Until Next Update! _


	15. Advisor

**Chibiyu: **_Since no one is bothering to bring Fanfic back to life, I thought I would try giving CPR to an ultimately dead story. _

**Nick: **_Considering I'm dead too, I actually am not afraid._

**Chibiyu: **_Of course you're not; you've had months to brace yourself for what is to come. _

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**_But how can I get close enough and how would I ever be able to understand any of the math or science? I don't have enough time to learn any of this. So perhaps corruption of science was in order. Good thing I'm a LITTLE brother – corruption, revenge, spying and causing mayhem was what I did. I hope Stella knew what she signed up for when she brought me here._**

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_Advisor's PoV_

I watched the young man duck behind a corner when I entered his hallway. I had seen the journal poking out from under his arm. I needed that journal almost as much as I needed Franklin to stay quiet and out of this. I had things handled. How can I tell him that without blowing my cover completely? He _needs _to know; if he doesn't, he will do something stupid and Stella _will _punish him. She is not like Macy Misa; she _needs _to keep the wool pulled over her eyes; she needs to think all of the people in this mad place are perfect.

"Franklin?" I called out, rounding the corner and seeing him sitting on a bench and trying to look innocent. "May I speak with you before I have to leave?"

The child looked me up and down, suspicion dancing in his too wise eyes. I spread my arms, not letting him see my eye, but showing him that I was unarmed. He eventually nodded. I walked over and took the seat on the farthest end of the bench, leaving enough space for him to get up and run if he so desired.

"It's not your job to figure out and to ruin Stella's plans." I breathed out, looking at the younger with pride. "I know you would make an excellent spy and you would mess with these peoples' minds, but it is not your place to."

"I wasn't planning that!" Frankie quickly tried to lie, but the faint blush rising on his cheeks was the dead giveaway.

I cocked my eyebrow at him, lifting my hat slightly so he could see my amusement. His eyes searched mine, something flitting across them, something like recognition. This, of course, is impossible as he has never met me before. Not like this. "You weren't?" I teased gently before relaxing against the black metal bench. Frankie's eyes turned downcast and his blush deepened. "Don't do it, Franklin." I warned, turning and facing him when I still saw the deceit lining his fame. "Stella will kill you. If you don't care about that, then think about how it will affect Joe and Kevin." The youth's head rose to meet mine. "They won't be able to live after you are taken from them as well."

Frankie's face morphed into a scowl. "And whose fault is it that they are so broken?"

"Mine." His face fell at my sudden conviction and confusion took its hold. "Why? Why did you kill my brother?"

I sighed and dropped my head, at the look on his face. "Because Stella would have anyway. Because we needed some sort of leverage – and a terrible leverage it is." I shook my head. "I don't expect you to understand as I don't even fully understand it."

"You're a bad man." Frankie told me, standing and pointing his finger at me.

"I am." His finger dropped. He expected me to defend myself, but how could I? "But I _will _make this better. It's my job to make sure that Stella's plan never falls through. I will not let her hurt or kill anyone. I will stop her. Those are my amends to make. Can you trust me enough to do that? I can't have another youth's blood on my hands."

Frankie slowly nodded, his eyes still searching my face and analyzing my words. "You remind me of Nick." He suddenly stated. I sighed and took off my ever-present hat, letting him see that I was indeed not his brother.

"I am not someone who is dead. But I am more like him then you think." I placed the cap gingerly on my head, ignoring his awestruck face as I stood. "Tell no one of who you think I may be. It's crucial to my mission." I walked away before the child could nod.

I knew he would heed my words and toss away the idea of becoming the savior of the world. I hated the method I has used against him – guilt tripping by opening the already bleeding wounds of their dead brother – but it had been a necessity. Anything to keep him safe; to keep anything from interfering with my plan. The kid's life was _everything. _Without him, the world would be doomed. He needed to stay alive. And with Stella beginning to lose her edge, well, no one would be safe. Even her group of "perfects" would be in danger of her.

This has to end.

Stella may believe that she has the upper hand, but her team of neurotic geniuses barely has enough self-control to even put 2 and 2 together. And because of that and that alone, I was in the lead. We could make it; we would make it, but barely so. In a matter of hours, if memory serves me, Stella will hit the button.

I won't let that happen. I won't let her win.

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**Journal Entry Seventeen**

_There is something odd about the Advisor; he seems so familiar to me. Almost like Nick. But he refused that he was my brother and I saw his eyes: they were too light to be Nick's. But everything about him screamed my brother; his calm certainty, his wisdom, his way of telling someone to not do something without even raising his voice. But Nick would never guilt trip me like that – he wouldn't hold a death over my head. Then again, he wouldn't have needed to. I would have listened to my brother without question. So the Advisor can't be him. _

_I wished I had stayed on that balcony instead of straying into the halls. I didn't like that mysterious man. His presence unnerved me; made my skin crawl with a thousand ants. He was the thing that made the dead turn over in their graves. He, though not threatening at all, seemed like he could destroy anything in his path with just a single though. I wonder if other people were affected like this when he was around. _

_But I digress. _

_Something is in the works over on his side. Something that he thinks will stop Stella. I hope he is right. But first, I hope his plan isn't worse than Stella's is. People shouldn't die. If I were him, I would find a solution were no one else would be punished or killed. I would do the impossible, like turn back time. None of this should be happening. Stella shouldn't have a bomb that can wipe out all human life outside of this tower. So if she has that technology then why can't time be reversed?_

_I want to go back to a simpler time when we were all together as a happy family. When everyone was alive and trying to prod Nick into smiling with us, or telling Kevin that otters can't play the trumpet, or pulling Joe out from under his bed sheets with 'pretty bells' (long story involving scaring off an annoying girl); better times with family. Even when Dad and I scared my brothers and Macy and Stella by fooling them into thinking their prank on Halloween with the ghost of Volunteer Fireman William Smith was real – sinister laughing instead of going to the movies, good times. _

_I'm sorry that you have to read around the water marks. I cry for those times now. Cry for what I can never again have. _

_Life isn't cruel; it's the people in it who are. People are cruel. They took that life from me, from my family. They didn't just kill loved ones, they killed a lifestyle. They killed the ability to laugh and smile. They killed the living without laying a finger on them. _

_Stella's world can't be a perfect place if it is drowned in tears. How many hearts will be broken when a lover realizes that she can never again be held by her man? How many screams will leave a mother's lips when she finds out that she can never again hear her child's voice?_

_This can't be real. Nothing about this pain can be real. _

_But if a pinch can't wake us up, what can?_

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**Chibiyu: **_I want to end this so I'm thinking like 2 or 3 chapters left. Until Next Update!_


	16. Not the Time

**Chibiyu: **_Dead story for a dead site. I find this acceptable. I hate this story, but I like the ending. That's the only reason I am still writing it. _

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**_But if a pinch can't wake us up, what can?_**

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Advisor's PoV

I found myself pacing along the row of headstones once again, not paying attention to whose names my toes stubbed or to whom I was walking over. We were very nearly over with our time limit. Not another thing can go wrong. If it does then Stella will have won.

Three days. A lot can happen in such a miniscule amount of time. Three days since I last spoke to the youngest Lucas. But more importantly, three days since I've seen that journal of his. If I could just get my hands on it before my plan was complete, then perhaps, if time did play out again in this direction, the journal would offer insight as to stopping it. That boy was needed alive so he could enter his last few words; his eighteenth entry would be key. And how did I know this? One does not know how to turn back time without already having done it.

My feet seized their movements as I turned to the horizon, glad that the gloomy onset of smog hadn't yet occurred. I lived through Stella's attack by hiding away in her building. I lived to see what doom she had unleashed and how miserable everyone else had been. Loved ones had perished and lives were lost entirely. Nothing was left in that future; nothing but broken souls buried in ashes. There wasn't even a body left intact to mourn.

That's it.

"Ms. Misa?" I called, mouth pressed to the walkie-talkie as I eagerly awaited her reply.

"Yes?" She sounded just as stressed as I was – it was not a surprise to see the light tint of gray starting to come through her brown locks.

"Contact Stella. Ask her permission on giving the Lucas brothers – all of them – permission to see Nicholas's grave one more time before it is destroyed all together." If I knew Franklin, then that little rascal would bring the journal with him and I could swipe it, and the Lucas's, before the key was turned. "I want them over here, instead of in her clutches for the moment.

She sighed heavily, hating the prospect of getting into anther fight with her used-to-be friend. "And why is that?" I hated it when she fought me, the ignorant fool.

I fought back the growl in my tone, knowing that this was the time for kind persuasion. The poor girl was my puppet in this entire operation and she didn't even know it. I almost felt bad for her; almost and I would if the world weren't on the line. "When Stella realizes that they cry over what is lost, she will come to the conclusion that they are not as perfect as she believed. She will want them gone before they can taint her society. They will be better off here."

"Not another blood of blood can be spilled," she replied, in a near robotic fashion. She would never allow anyone to know it, but all of the names and the bodies I was standing over affected her greatly. She was not like Stella – she did not kill for the purpose of purging. She did it when the person was suffering too greatly to live on. Little did our old prisoners know that the ones she took back into the rooms, yes they were hurt, but the ones who died where the ones who were sickly and who know they were close to the end. Half of them even asked me personally to kill them.

But few, yes a very few, were used as leverage. Stella's friends, family, and the boy related to whom she loved all rested peacefully beneath me feet. They were meant to unhinge her and all but one did. But Nicholas's death served a purpose to its own – to get the brothers, whose freedom had been imperative for Franklin to finish his journal – back to where they started. Back to where it would all end; to where everything would begin anew.

I hooked the communication device to my belt loop, knowing she would do as told. "Soon," I whispered to those sleeping, "Soon you will all be hugging your families once again."

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Stella's PoV

How dare that menace of a girl have the audacity to call me and take my future husband and his family away? And to mourn? How dare she insult the perfect! She very well knows that those blessed like Joe and I are immune to sadness. So what if Nicholas died? No one in _my _society cares.

I turned to the multitude of security cameras behind my ever-stylish desk and frowned. Tears. Red eyes. Blotchy cheeks. They were still mourning. Tears streaming from their misted eyes as they left the building. Crying. Feeling pain. Not happiness.

Tears aren't perfect.

My future husband isn't perfect.

My hand swept across my desk as rage boiled over my vision, clogging everything in a shade of red. I did not hear the _clang _as my telephone hit the wall nor did I feel regret when the object didn't sound its dial tone. I didn't care for the elder or the younger – I never really did. It was, is, and always will be about Joe. Or so I thought. How can my suitor, my soul mate, not be perfect? My finger nails dug into my skin, snapping off and cracking, bending forward as they peeled from their glue.

Damn! I _just _got them done!

Focus Stella. There are more pressing matters at hand. Get your heart over Joe Lucas. He is dead to you. Imperfect. Dead. Just like his brother.

"Security!" I yelled through the intercom, hissing at the state of my poor nails. "If you ever see Joe, Kevin or Frankie Lucas's face around here again, shoot them dead. Immediately."

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Advisor's PoV

I led them down the row of manicured grass and freshly put flowers – if my plan does not succeed then I do not want the dead to feel forgotten in their final moments attached to this earth by a tombstone. I nodded at the name on one, wanting to smile that young Nicholas would have one more chance to feel the presence of his family. If tonight does not go to plan then everything will be lost. For this time I will not hide away inside Stella's building, shivering like a coward without a clue. I will be right here, standing tall with the brothers and wishing for a tomorrow that would never come.

"Advisor!" We all jumped at the shout and I turned to glare at the one who cut through the serenity of the dead.

"What?" I barked, letting him hear my seething anger.

"Your approval is needed."

"Is it nearly done?" The youth nodded, his vigorous movement causing his sandy hair to obscure his eyes. I turned towards the three and nodded to the youngest, knowing that he would fear me from our last encounter. "I must check on this. Someone will be by to collect you when it's time."

"Time for what?" I just smiled at Franklin's question before turning my back and walking towards the door surrounded by brick.

"You're a lot like Nick." I stopped at this and sighed loudly at Kevin's reaction.

"I am not him." I turned to them, did not lift my cap, and scowled. "And I do not kindly partake in being compared to him. I am my own person."

Joe looked at the headstone, his eyes tracing his younger brother's name. "What proof do you have of that?" He looked up, accusing me with his eyes for the untold lie. "How do we know that this isn't an empty grave?"

"It's not," Franklin whispered, his eyes, though mine were covered by the shadow of my hat's brim, were directed right on mine. "He's not Nick."

Kevin shook his head, advancing towards me slowly. "You don't know that Frankie."

"I do." The strong statement wasn't enough to stop the oldest Lucas's advance. "And call me Franklin." That ceased everyone's movements. "Frankie is a kid's name. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Franklin," I called lowly, aware that he had taken a liking to the name when I said it to him earlier. "When someone comes for you three, can you bring your journal as well? It may have viable information to our survival."

The younger nodded with nothing but trust in his eyes. So he knew. I smiled at him, the first sincere smile I've given in 26 years, and touched the touch of my hat in a salute. Good for you, little Lucas, good for you.

I started to turn again when Joe frantically called me back. "Joe, I'm not Nick. If I was, I would have told you. If I was Nick, I wouldn't have been able to stand seeing you in this much pain. I wouldn't even had agreed to faking my death. Nick loved you three and he sacrificed himself to save you. I will let his sacrifice die just because he did." I sighed lowly, rubbing my brown tiredly. "Just because I fight in this war, doesn't mean I wanted anyone to have to die."

"Then why?" I couldn't meet Kevin's eyes.

"Because their deaths were needed for us to get this far. Because half of them were going to die in a matter of hours as it stood." Should I tell them the final bit? Do I dare? "Because Nicholas knew he was dying already."

I closed my eyes, thinking back to that day when I took Nick to the back room. They had done horrible things to the boy. They tried to make him forget who he was and what family he coveted. They tried to break him and to make him a nobody. They failed. And that one fateful day when the whip, so to speak, was dropped into my hand and Nicholas was shoved to the floor.

"We had been left alone," I slowly revealed to the shocked faces, "And he looked up to me with the saddest eyes I have ever seen on a males face."

Big, brown doe eyes that cut me to the core, begging me to please not hurt him. Begging me to show him an ounce of mercy. Begging me for the end, for the safety of himself and that of his family. Just begging. Pleading. Bleeding.

"He asked me one simple question: why?"

The word had echoed across the dull room, shattering my resolve as easily as a baseball would a window. At that moment, I had been sure of the future. Of everything that was going to happen. And I was certain that Nick did as well.

"I couldn't answer him. Not at the time. So I dropped whatever thing I was meant to use on him and knelt to his level."

He looked at me with confusion as I reached up and took off my cap. His eyes widened as he searched my face, shock barely allowing him to realize who was in front of him. I reached behind him and gently undid the knots covering his wrists and allowed him to touch my face, making sure I was real.

"He didn't understand why I was showing him mercy. He didn't understand that all I had wanted to do was talk to him."

I spoke soft words to him, asking if he knew what was going to happen to him. I could see the despair in his eyes when he gave a short nod. He knew. I was relieved – it's never easy telling a person that they are going to die.

"I remember him clearly asking me if his time was close. I told him the truth; I told him yes."

Nick's head had fallen at this news, but he had known for a while, or so he whispered heavily. He had known that the aching of his limbs, the throb which grew with each passing day, wasn't normal. He had known that his headaches weren't just a sign of stress. He had known that he was killing himself with his actions of heroism. And yet he chose to continue.

"He looked at me and told me something I will never forget." I allowed my eyes to sadly fall on the gray stone in front of the brothers. "He told me that he wanted tomorrow to come for his brothers; even if he never got to see the next sunrise." I closed my eyes, unwillingly to see the broken looks Joe and Kevin were giving me or the hand Franklin had placed upon his older brother's name. "He loved you. He gave his life for you." And for me he gave his brain.

I could still see him pouring over idea and adding to it, watching it grow as he added the water and I the dirt. It was never enough to drown our seedling, just enough for it to thrive. Together he and I came up with the plan to stop Stella. And together, he and I knew he wouldn't have the time to see it fall through.

I wasn't just doing this for mankind anymore – I was doing it for Nick and for his memory.

"Then who are you?" Joe managed to ask, the words sounding detached.

I let my head fall; knowing that now was not the time to tell them. But when would be the time? When would I be able to raise my cap and let them see what I showed to Nicholas and Franklin? Would there be another time than now?

"Advisor!" I looked towards the door and nodded. It was time to leave them. I had hesitated and lost my chance.

"Franklin?" The youth looked up at the call. "Hold your tongue for a little while longer."

"Now's not the time?" He asked, his voice small.

I shook my head. "Now's not the time."

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**Chibiyu: **_Two more chapters left! Until Next Update! _


	17. Almost Over

**Chibiyu: **_It's almost over! _

**Nick: **_Well you seem excited about this. _

**Chibiyu: **_I am! After I finish this and a story on another site, I can post my new story. _

**Nick: **_Oh joy._

_DON'T OWN JONAS_

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**I shook my head. "Now's not the time."**

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Advisor's PoV

"NO!" Papers flew across the table, some flying for freedom within the air. "Can't you do _anything _right?" I was unable to keep the shriek from my voice as I rounded on the three individuals. "This number," I took a deep breath, pointing to the final product – the number that would mean _everything _in finishing this product and breaking the space time continuum. "It should be higher than pi and be a square root."

One had the audacity to tilt his head I confusion, another shook it, trying to see what went wrong by snatching a random paper up. The third however, looked at me with interest in her dark eyes, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I TOLD YOU!" She screamed, throwing her own set of neatly stapled notes down on the table. "See, Advisor, I have it all down and correct. I swear it."

I snatched the notes form her hand, nodding every once and awhile at her numbers. "Ass kisser." I mumbled when she commented on how good my hat looked on me. "Alright, Genie." I looked at her and handed the papers back. "Set the products into the machine."

I allowed myself a moment to take a deep breath and relax my shoulders. "We cannot afford any mistakes."

"I understand, sir!" She ran off, holding her notes to her chest as if they were some priceless gem. And to our mission, to the world, they were. She stopped in the doorway, pushing her hair from her shoulder. "Would you like to supervise?"

I looked at the younger girl, nodding slightly. "Yes, I will be there momentarily." I turned towards the young message boy who was standing in the corner, trying to make himself as small as possible. The boy feared everything about this place, but he feared Stella more. He there was uneasy around Ms. Misa and around me, knowing that I didn't fit into any of this. He was a perceptive child; defiantly smart enough to stay on the right side and to see what other cannot. If anyone would remind the brothers of Nicholas, it should be that child, not me.

"Boy?" I kindly called, not even knowing the youth's name. His ears perked up and he instantly straightened his posture. "Bring the Lucas brothers to the machine when that red light," I pointed to the fire alarm like object resting above his head, "begins to flash. Once it starts, you have exactly three minutes to get them down there."

"Understood." The boy nodded as he began staring at his watch, no doubt setting a timer. "Three minutes. They will be there in time."

I nodded, glancing out the window. Joe and Kevin were sitting on the grass in front of their brother's grave. Their mouths hardly moved, suggesting a conversation of a serious nature. Franklin was sitting feet away, bent over his journal. This was it.

"They'd better be."

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**Journal Entry 18**

_I was right to be weary of the Advisor. But is he right to keep his identity from Joe and Kevin? He told me that this wasn't the right time, but when would the time be right? With what he planned to do, time is very limited for us. In fact, he was just called back inside as something was ready. Their weapon. Macy's and his weapon. _

_Macy's and MY weapon. _

_Yes, that is right however is reading this. The Advisor is me. But not me. I'm here, young and unable to do anything while he is the exact opposite. How? He's from the future. He has to be. That's how he knows that turning back time is possible and how he knows how to do it. This is not a childhood fantasy, no matter how much it sounds like one. This is my reality. This time's reality. _

_I am not crazy. The Advisor – Me of the future – is going to turn back time to before this mess. But how will that do anything? He will need to make sure Stella and Macy don't meet, and if they do, that everyone is prepared to stop them. To stop Stella from going insane with her vision of a perfect world. To stop Macy from prompting Stella's dream even further by, I don't know, probably by always telling her "Come on Stells! Perfect? It's not possible, silly!" _

_I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know if anyone is going to survive. I just hope that this journal does so someone can read it and know the truth. To know how this all started and to know how it affected families. I had a brother, mother, and father taken from me. Others had more. Others had their own life taken. And even if the Advisor – me – says that they were going to die anyway, it doesn't make it better. I don't want to grow up to be like him; to be a murderer who thinks that death gave us the upper hand. _

_Now that I think about it, reader, it looks like this will be my last entry. No one will know how this world ends up. If we go back through time, then this journal will more than likely be erased as it didn't exist in the past. If Stella's plan works and she destroys all life outside of her building, then I will perish. And if nothing at all happens, well then I guess I could add another entry so you know what happened. But I doubt it – I don't want there to be any false alarms. Like if I add the last entry saying: "I'm alive," and then Stella blows us up, it wouldn't work to well. I never was one for false advertising. _

_But there is still hope. The Advisor, as I now refuse to accept that I will grow up into being that, told me to bring my journal and that it may offer insight. _

_Wait. _

_If he is from the past then he experienced all of this. He should know what is in this journal. Then why would he need it? But I have to trust him, don't I? After all, he is me, as much as I hate that fact, and he hasn't led Joe, Kevin and I astray so far. And he even said that Nick helped him perfect the plan. He never led _us _wrong. Just others. Is that enough to trust him with this notebook? If I give it to him, there is a chance it will be read. But if I keep it, there is something to mark where I last stood on this earth. _

_Whatever happens to this journal, I hope that it will tell the story as it is. My story. And I hope that it will impact someone's life. I don't hope for it to be as big as Anne Frank's diary, this hardly compares. But I do hope a lesson will be learned. Somehow. _

_I have to go dear reader. It is time for the end. Time to find out if tomorrow will ever come._

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The young boy jumped when the alarm sounded, loud and forever to be ringing in his ears. He jumped up and threw the outside door open, the clang of the metal hitting brick lost to the siren. He ran out, his footsteps padding heavily on the lush grass. He pulled Franklin to his feet and yanked him towards the door, gesturing for Joe and Kevin to follow. The brothers did so without question, knowing the bell didn't mean anything good.

"Hurry! It's time!" The boy yelled, his high pitched voice carrying well in between the shrill whines.

"For what?" Joe yelled, stumbling slightly as he tried to keep up. They turned a sharp corner, the boy pushing open a heavy door, or trying to. Kevin stepped in and together, they managed to unstick it and haul it open.

The boy pushed everyone inside the room with strength that surprised everyone. The sight that met them was calm, though havoc reeked in the uncovered eyes of one; the Advisor. The older brothers gasped and Frankie glared, entering the room slowly and holding the cardboard bound paper protectively.

"You…what?" Kevin whispered, stepping forward. All of them jumped when the door slammed closed behind them.

"Me." The Advisor evenly stated, pointing towards the screen. "And your potential killer." Another person stepped into our view, smaller in frame and the older brothers wanted to smack themselves for not seeing this coming. "And Ms. Misa."

Joe's eyes frantically searched the room, unable to find an explanation. "Macy?" He finally yelled his mind already off the Advisor's familiar eyes.

"Joe, Kevin," She whispered, her voice shaking for the first time in a long time as Stella laughed manically at our terror. "We don't have time. Yes I am behind all of this, yes the Advisor works for me and yes Stella is my enemy. But right now, please, just do as I say."

"No." Everyone's eyes snapped towards the taller male besides her. "You'll do as I say. I am not a puppet to Misa. I never have been."

"Advisor!"

"NO!" He rounded on the girl, a vein pulsing in his temple. "You're the one who wanted everyone to die before it was there time, even if they were going to die anyway. You killed children! You nearly ruined_ my _plan with your idiotic scientists."

Macy scoffed, looking at him in utter disbelief. "_You're _plan?"

"Yes." The woman took a step back at his set tone, fixing her hat she her eyes flashed in malice. "My plan. I planted the idea in your brain. You have been my puppet this entire time. Now shut up." For once, the girl did as told and quietly retreated into the corner, tears glinted in her eyes as she realized that he was absolutely right. Everything was the Advisor's doing – everything innocent. She had been the one to order the killings in hopes to lessen the sufferings of those dying. But she was the one trying to kill them in the first place: she locked them in cages to keep them from Stella. She was the one who hurt them to prove to Stella that they weren't perfect. She was the one who killed them.

"Aww, Macy Misa just got pwned!" Stella tittered, laughing an unhinged laugh that had the hairs on the back of everyone's neck stand. "Who would have thought that Macy would let herself get controlled by a man?" She sighed dramatically, tapping her fingers to the corner of her lips. "Well I suppose that's why you never made the perfect-person list."

The Advisor leaned over, glaring at the woman with frizzed out hair and chipped nails. "You've just destroyed us all."

"No, I saved us."

"Believe what you will." The Advisor turned his haunted eyes towards the crowd around him. They all saw the image of a future destroyed, of poisoned hatred and of pure regret. "You'd better pray hard that this works," his voice shook when he addressed the two boys. He held out his hand towards Franklin. "The journal?"

Franklin looked up at him, trying to figure this situation out. "Why?"

The Advisor growled, consulting his watch. "We don't have for this!" But Franklin did not relent. "If that journal comes back to the past then this all will be stopped. Avoided. Whatever you want to call it!"

Franklin nodded slowly and slapped the papers into his older-self's awaiting hand.

"Misa?"The called girl turned to face her used-to-be friend. "I hope you enjoy losing."

Macy shook her head and stood tall. "You're the one who will lose. We won't let you do this!"

"And how do you propose to stop me?"

We all turned to look at the wide empty room, only the youngest noticing the Advisor pulling something small and silver from his pocket.

Macy stepped into the middle of the room, a sneer on her face that would have, in the right time, had Van Dyke running and screaming. "We plan on doing the impossible. Now shut the hell up, you insane monster." With that final statement, her fingers snapped and the video darkened until Stella was no more. "Advisor, I suggest you get going." She stepped back, her eyes filled with determination. "I won't be going. If I come with you, then my past self would be put in jail for murder. I do not want any more blood on my conscience."

The man nodded swiftly before turning to the Lucas brothers. "Franklin, I am sorry to tell you this, but you have to stay here as well." Franklin's eyes widened at this and protests filled the small chamber. His hand rose swiftly, effectively silencing the two arguers. "If Franklin goes through time again, it may affect him more than it will you. Going through time makes you susceptible to mental degradation. The more you enter the broken continuum, the more at risk you are."

"But Frankie never," Kevin broke off, looking directly into the eyes of the Advisor. "You?" The nod was enough for the brothers to feel the shake in their knees.

"Yes, I am your brother. From the future. Now please, both of you." The Advisor held out his hand, Joe and Kevin looking towards their youngest brother. He hugged them tightly before walking over to Macy, the female draping a comforting arm over his shoulder.

"You'll be ok," She consoled the two about to embark on a terrifying journey. "Frankie and I will never be touched."

"Hopefully." But no one heard the Advisor's hushed plea.

"Go." Frankie smiled towards his brothers, happy to finally see the end of all this. "Save the world."

The brothers, though every fiber of them denied their actions, found themselves nodding. The Advisor dropped the notebook into Joe's hand and the tiny silver remote into Kevin's.

"It's preset to send you back seven years," he told them, nodding slightly. "Just hit the button, and quickly." He consulted his watch and closed his eyes. "Do it now. And good luck."

Joe and Kevin looked towards their youngest brother and nodded. They linked arms, Kevin's finger hovering over the button.

"We'll see you soon, Tank."

Franklin smiled fondly at the name. "Stop this from happening, then see me after."

Joe and Kevin couldn't help but chuckling. "Family comes before world."

"Get your prioritizes straight!"

"HIT THE BUTTON!"

At the Advisor's scream, Kevin's finger slammed down just as a low rumble echoed over the horizon. The last thing the brother's saw were Macy hugging Franklin tightly and her lips forming a silent prayer.

And blackness engulfed the world.

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**Chibiyu: **_Next chapter is way…more thrilling. I think. It's already written lol. No time to proof read so please ignore the mistakes. Until Next Update! _


	18. Left to Guess

**Chibiyu: **_It's finally over!_

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**At the Advisor's scream, Kevin's finger slammed down just as a low rumble echoed over the horizon. The last thing the brother's saw were Macy hugging Franklin tightly and her lips forming a silent prayer. **

**And blackness engulfed the world. **

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Was it really possible?

My eyes scanned over the familiar setting: the black and white couch, the red cabinets, the numerous fire helmets – it was like I was walking into a lost dream. My eyes turned to the person next to me, my mouth opening in question before I realized that the Advisor – that future Frankie – wasn't there. It was only Kevin and I.

"Kev?" I managed to choke out, not able to believe the crack in my voice or the smile I had traced in the dust, years ago. "Is this…real?"

Kevin reached out, hesitant, as if the back of the chair would vanish if his fingers skimmed across it. They touched. I reached out, tracing another face into the fine layer of dust on the mostly unused table. This was real. Frankie did it. He saved us.

I smiled, turning to Kevin and ignoring his appearance. 7 years. We've gone back 7 years; before Macy and Stella met, before Mom and Dad were taken from us, before Nick…

Nick!

Our heads jerked up when a rather loud chord sounded the keyboard, Kevin and I nearly jumping out of our skin from fear. For a moment, I had believed that it was Stella's bomb, hissing through the air and dropping right above us. I eyed the stairs, wanting to have faith in the fact that this wasn't a dream, but I couldn't. And if this was a dream, then please God, don't ever let me wake up.

I took one step; small and unsteady, towards the stairs. I had to know. But I didn't want to know. What if it wasn't our brother? What if this was just some cruel joke or a nightmare? How am I supposed to accept this as reality?

My one small step turned into a run and the stairs blurred under my feet as I scrambled to see him again. With a heart full of hope, bursting through with painful throbs, I stood at the top of the stairs. I had to take a large breath when the music stopped playing. I had to force myself to look up.

"Nick…" Kevin breathed; pushing passed me and quickly embracing our younger brother. As a boy of 13, he was completely hidden within Kevin's arms. I ran after him, pulling Nicholas into my arms as well, ignoring his struggling.

"Hello to you too." He grunted, rather annoyed when he finally managed to free himself. He looked up at us, scowling in distaste at his height. If only he knew that he would one day be the tallest of us three, with only Frankie surpassing him. When his eyes met mine, his brow furrowed in confusion and his scowl deepened. I knew he saw my obvious tears. His eyes flicked to Kevin's, his expression softening. "Are you guys ok?" He whispered, not understanding any of this.

I nodded rapidly, drawing my brother in again and I dropped a kiss on his unruly curls. I laughed when I felt his heartbeat, so young and lively. Kevin reached over and pulled us into a three-way hug, leaving the youngest as lost as ever.

"We're ok." Kevin confirmed, unable to stop the happiness from cascading down his face. "Nick?" We both pulled away, Kevin kneeling and putting his hands on Nick's shoulders so he was at Nick's eye level. The younger Lucas looked to me, fear in his eyes; it was almost like he was asking me if he did something wrong. I could have laughed at that if I wasn't so overwhelmed with the fact that he was alive.

"Yeah?" Uncertainty ruled his cracking voice as he slowly looked back to our eldest brother.

Kevin took a slow breath to compose himself before continuing. "I want you to remember this Nick: it's not your job to look out for Frankie or for yourself, not for some things. Let me and Joe handle anything that is over your head, ok?"

Eye contact was held for a few more seconds as Nick tried to comprehend why Kevin was telling him this. No answer was shown on his face when he nodded, a promise held within his frame.

Kevin pulled him for another hug and I sat next to them, joining in. "Love you, Nicky." We both told him, meaning it more than we ever had.

"Love you too." He untangled himself from us before walking over to the fire poles. He shot us one last strange glance before grabbing the gold. "Weirdoes." The only sound now was his hands sliding down the metal and the thump as his feet reached the floor.

"Joe? Kevin?" My heart froze at those high pitched words and my eyes jumped over to my youngest brother. He stood, his innocent brown eyes shining with curiosity as he smiled at us in greeting. In his hands was an old faded Composition Notebook. The image seemed vaguely familiar to me. Was it possible?

"Yeah, Tank?" Kevin whispered his voice shaking slightly as he too processed the sight before him.

Frankie looked down to the notebook and opened it, showing us the first page. On the backside of the cover was a picture. My eyes fell on our happy faces before my heart froze when I saw the glint of the gun. On the lined paper, it was titled **Journal Entry 1. **And under the picture was a name and a date:

**Franklin Lucas 2012 - ? **

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One more step and you're in. I took a breath and tried lifting my foot, wondering if my shoe was cemented to the ground when it refused to budge. Why does moving schools have to be so hard?

No! You are Macy Misa and Macy Misa doesn't get scared by new classes! She can take on football players, wrestlers, archers, and any guy that comes her way! Now march in and show those kids who isn't afraid of a change in scenery!

I stepped into the classroom and my confidence shattered. There were no completely empty desks; I hadn't counted on that.

"You can sit here." A friendly voice called and I smiled, walking over to the blonde. "I'm Stella."

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**Chibiyu: **_Ha. No sequel. I'm leaving you all to guess. Aren't I evil? Until Next Story!_


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